The Need To Know Raid
by AliasCWN
Summary: The Rat Patrol and King Company take on another assignment together but does anyone really know what they are doing?
1. Chapter 1

**The Need to Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 1

(Authors note: According to the history books, the war in the North African desert ended in May 1943. There may have been troops still there, but most of them had been sent to help with the war in Europe which was still in full swing. Episode 1, season 1 of Combat! took place in France in 1944. For this reason I have used the characters from the beginning of the series to combine the two groups. It's not written in stone but it works for me. Enjoy!)

"Saddle up!"

"Where are we going Serge?" Kirby grabbed his gear and headed for Saunders.

"It seems we drew another one of those 'special assignments'." The sergeant answered, shouldering his own pack. "Make sure your packs are loaded. Give me a list of anything you need and I'll make sure you get it."

"Do we know where we're going?" Caje, the squads' scout, asked, shifting his gear in his hands.

"Do we ever?" Saunders replied, giving Kirby a shove to get him out of the way. "Where's Littlejohn?" The sergeant asked, swiveling his head to look around.

"Oh, he said something about getting something to eat." Kirby raised his head from going through his pack. "You know that guy, always hungry."

"He's a growing boy." Caje explained with a smile.

"Well he'd better stop growing or he's going to become too big of a target for the Germans to miss." Kirby muttered under his breath.

"Well he'd better get back here and collect his pack, the truck's waiting to take us to the plane." Saunders counted his men to see if anyone else was missing. "The rest of you check your gear and get situated. Wait right here for me, I'll get Littlejohn and be right back."

"A plane? Going in style are we?" Finishing the check of his gear, Caje set his pack aside to watch the rest of the squad prepare.

"Keep an eye on them Caje, I'll be right back." Saunders stalked off toward the mess tent to find Littlejohn.

"A plane, well what do you know." Kirby looked at Caje, a grin on his usually sour face. "At last somebody recognizes our value. Only the best for us, no more hoofin' it."

Caje grunted, not bothering to answer the teams' BAR man. Walking among the squad, Caje urged the slower men to hurry and get their packs checked. He took the liberty of making a list for the sergeant of anything they would need to requisition. By the time Saunders returned with Littlejohn, everyone else was ready and waiting.

"Hey Serge," Littlejohn checked his pack and hurried to tell the sergeant he was ready, "just how did we get picked for this cushy job anyway?"

"Cushy job?" Saunders turned to Littlejohn, the odd words coming out of his mouth sounded more like Kirby.

"Yeah, that's what Kirby said it is." The big man confirmed for the sergeant. "He says that headquarters has finally realized that they have a good thing with us."

"He did, did he?" The sergeant glared at the BAR man. "Well I'll tell you what Littlejohn, you can't believe everything that Kirby tells you."

"Then this ain't a cushy job?" The private looked toward Kirby in confusion. "He said we were getting a plane and everything."

"Oh, we're getting a plane alright." Saunders confirmed. "But only because they need us there a lot faster than they can get us there by truck."

"Oh."

"Load up, we're running late and that plane won't wait forever." Saunders cajoled and shoved his men to get them moving. They lined up and climbed aboard the truck that would take them to the airstrip. The sergeant studied his men as they slumped in their seats. After nearly three weeks of uninterrupted combat, they all looked beat. Instead of another mission, what they really needed was a rest period somewhere off the line.

"Is Lieutenant Hanley going to meet us at the plane?" Littlejohn asked curiously.

"No, he's not going." Saunders answered loud enough for all of them to hear. "Headquarters says they need him here, so we're going without him."

"Is that a good idea?" Littlejohn frowned at Saunders as the rest of the squad went silent.

"What's the matter Littlejohn, don't you think we can handle it without the Lieutenant? You think we need the L.T. to hold our hand?"

Littlejohn flushed at the sergeants' question. "Naw, nothing like that Serge, I was just asking is all."

The sergeant nodded, willing to drop the subject in favor of a nap. Despite the bouncing of the vehicle there were snores coming from more than one source already.

"Get some sleep Littlejohn, you may not get another chance for a while."

"Okay Serge."

"Hey Serge."

"What is it Billy?" Saunders rolled his shoulders to loosen the muscles. He eyed Billy warily, waiting for another question he couldn't answer.

"Is it alright if I sit next to Littlejohn?"

"Sure Billy." Sliding over, Saunders made room for Billy to squeeze between him and the big man.

"Sarge?"

"What Billy?" Saunders sighed.

"Littlejohn won't really get too big for the Germans to miss if he keeps eating, will he?"

"No Billy, he won't. Kirby was just pulling your leg."

"That's good then."

"Billy."

Billy turned as Littlejohn entered the conversation.

"Yeah Littlejohn?"

"Go to sleep."

"Okay Littlejohn."

Saunders listened to the exchange with relief, he was grateful for the renewed quiet. Stretching his legs out in front of him, he tried to get comfortable and get some sleep himself.

The change in sound of the motor woke him before the driver yelled that they had reached their destination. Groaning with fatigue, the squad began to stir. Saunders watched as they shuffled past him toward the tailgate. One by one they jumped to the ground. The last one out, he looked around quickly to make sure that no one had left anything behind. His knees nearly buckled as he landed behind the truck. He barely caught his balance before someone was shouting at them to 'get on the plane'.

After more shuffling and more grumbling, they entered the cargo bay of the plane. Entering in single file, they dropped their packs on the floor and took seats.

"We have one more stop to make before we get to your destination Sergeant; you and your men make yourselves comfortable." One of the planes' crew members met Saunders at the door. As soon as the squad was settled he reached out and closed the door. Pushing past the reclining men with their feet in the aisle, he headed toward the cockpit to let the pilot know they were ready to take off.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 2

The plane rolled to a landing, waking the men from their sleep.

"Just making a stop Sergeant, we'll be on our way momentarily." The friendly crew member called to Saunders.

Saunders nodded. The trip had been short so far and he and his men hadn't gotten much sleep. Crossing his arms over his chest, he settled back to continue his nap.

Seeing Saunders relax, the rest of his squad copied his actions. The plane shook as the crew members moved about, doing whatever they did under these circumstances. They could hear someone whistling as he went about his tasks. The strong smell of fuel permeated the plane as the crews hurried to refuel the aircraft before it once again took to the skies.

"Huh, sleeping again. Don't you guys ever do anything but sleep?" The cheerful voice penetrated their sleep fogged brains. A rocking motion suggested that even more men were boarding the plane.

Kirby forced his eyes open to look up at the figure towering above him. The bright smile, topped by brilliant blue eyes, was aimed at him. Blinking in surprise, he straightened in his seat, bumping into Caje as he did.

"Well, well, look who's here." Kirby managed. He looked past the first figure to see three others standing behind him smiling too.

Saunders turned his head at the sound of the first voice and straightened in his seat.

"Got room for a few more?" Tully Pettigrew drawled from behind Hitch.

"I guess we could let you ride on the wing." Kirby grinned, pleased to see the other men.

Tully laughed and gave Hitchcock a push forward. "Find a seat Hitch, this bird's gonna take off and I don't want to be standing here when it does."

Hitch grinned and moved past Kirby and the others to take an empty seat toward the rear of the plane. Tully, Troy and Moffitt followed him, careful not to bump the seated men with their packs.

"I see you brought your own packs this time." Littlejohn observed with a huge smile.

"He's still jealous 'cause Serge picked up your gear for you the last time." Billy offered with a smile at the big man.

"Am not." Littlejohn argued. "Just making an observation is all."

"Any time you need us to pick up your gear, you just say the word." Tully offered with a grin.

"I can get my own gear." The big man growled, glancing at Billy with a frown. "I was just saying."

"Well, at least now we know why we drew this assignment." Interrupting the argument, Kirby changed the subject.

"It's voluntary; you can back out anytime you want before we leave." Sam Troy spoke for the first time. He glance around at the other men on the plane with a confidence he felt was well placed. The Rat Patrol had worked with K Company before and they liked and respected each other. Searching the faces, he looked for any new ones who might decide not to go along with the assignment.

Kirby, Caje, Doc, Littlejohn, Billy, Braddock and Saunders looked back at him expectantly.

"Welcome aboard." He smiled when no one spoke up.

"Any idea where we're going?" Doc was the one to ask the question on everyone's mind. He leaned around the others to see the sergeant more closely.

"Yeah, I know, but headquarters wants to brief you themselves, so you'll have to wait."

There were groans from the others but it soon ended since everyone knew the decision had been made.

"Get some more sleep." Saunders ordered his squad. "I have a feeling that once this plane lands you won't get much chance for a while."

Troy smiled at the order and leaned back against the frame of the plane to do the same. Like any experienced soldier, he and his men knew the value of sleeping when you got a chance. It was like water on the desert, you just never knew when you would get another chance to get your fill.

Moffitt, Tully and Hitch leaned back in their seats and relaxed too, although they had already caught a nap, none of them were willing to pass up an opportunity for another one. Especially since there was not much else they could do on the plane anyway.

A crew member walked through the plane nearly an hour later to tell them that they were nearing their destination. Men yawned and stretched as they awoke and began to collect their packs.

"We're going to taxi to a stop near the end of the runway. All of you guys need to get off quick, this airfield isn't secure. There'll be a truck waiting to pick you up." The crew member checked the passengers to make sure that they were all awake and paying attention. "You're only going to have about forty-five seconds to get clear of the plane before it heads back up the runway. We'll stop at the other end to offload some crates; hopefully any spies will see the crates and report that we dropped of supplies. It's dark outside so hopefully no one will notice you." He grinned at the skeptical looks he received at the announcement. It was pretty common knowledge that the Germans had spies at all the airstrips and bases. "Good luck wherever you're going."

The plane shuttered as the flaps were adjusted to slow their airspeed.

"Showtime." The crewman warned, heading for the door to be ready to open it. There was a bounce as the landing gear touched the ground, then the plane slowed quickly.

The passengers stood up, packs in hand, and lined up in front of the door. They grabbed for any support available as the plane turned. Opening the door, the crew member stepped out of the way so the heavily laden men could fit past him to jump out of the narrow opening.

One by one, they hit the runway and trotted toward the truck sitting in the grass. Veterans at being stealthy, they stayed low so their outlines didn't stand out above the runway. Their dark forms blended with the dark coloring of the airfield, making them almost invisible.

The crewman reached out and pulled the door shut after the last man was clear. Engines roared as the pilot increased the power to taxi toward the other end of the runway. Crews ran out to meet it as it slowed near the flight tower. Trucks pulled up and crates were transferred from the plane to the trucks. Within minutes the plane was once again airborne.

The trucks carrying the crates headed for a nearby base while the airfield turned dark and quiet once more.

Twenty minutes later, the lone truck at the far end of the airstrip sputtered to life and slowly drove away.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 3

Saunders and his men led the way to the truck and were the first to climb aboard. They weren't surprised to find that someone else was already in there. There were two men seated near the front, one in civilian clothes. Not wasting any time, Saunders and his men piled into the rear, each making room for the men behind.

Once again they found seats and dropped their packs at their feet.

Troy and his men were right behind them, nearly falling into the others in their rush to get out of sight. The plane picked up speed and taxied away before they found their seats.

Crowded into the rear of the ten-wheeler, they waited expectantly to see what would happen next.

"Welcome aboard gentlemen. Since you're here I am assuming that you have accepted this assignment." The man in front of them wore a uniform with no rank or insignia. He waited for someone to disagree with his statement; when no one did, he continued. "I don't know what you've been told so far so I will start at the beginning." He looked from face to face as the men gave him their full attention. "The Germans are planning a new offensive in France. One of the planners, a Colonel Klaus Heilman, has been spotted taking a short vacation after all of his hard work." The man giving the briefing grimaced at his own words. "Anyway, we now know where he'll be for the next three days. That's how long you'll have to complete this assignment, three days."

"If he's already planned the offensive, isn't it a bit late to take him out?" Kirby asked the question more of his teammates than anyone else, but the officer in front of them heard him quite clearly. "I mean, shouldn't we have gone in and killed him before the plan was finished?" The private was quick to clarify.

"Shut up Kirby." Saunders growled.

"It's alright Sergeant." The man briefing them assured Saunders. "He has a valid point, only we didn't know where he was until now." He glanced around at the men in the truck, but the rest of them had seen the warning glare from Saunders and remained silent.

"Just where is this Colonel?" Saunders asked in the silence that dominated the truck.

"Northern France, at a chateau that the Germans have turned into a special officers club for high ranking officers." The officer, for he spoke and acted like one, watched the reaction of the men in the truck with him. "This chateau is deep in German held territory." He was pleased that none of the men appeared to be too shocked, or for that matter, surprised.

"Deep in German territory." Saunders repeated. He looked across the truck to see Sam Troy watching him. "Considering the company we're keeping, that doesn't really come as much of a surprise."

Troy flashed him a bright smile.

"They're probably going to have a lot of security around a place like that." Caje offered when no one spoke. "They won't be happy with us if they catch us."

"Then I guess we'd better not plan on getting caught." Saunders replied with a frown at the interruption.

"You'd better tell Troy and his guys." Kirby grinned. "With all the sleeping they do, the krauts could probably just walk up and take them prisoner." He grinned again as he looked toward Tully and Hitch.

"Troys' men?" The officer looked confused. "I've worked with them before; I don't think you have to worry about them."

"He's got a big mouth!" Saunders growled, sending Kirby a warning glare. "He's just kidding. We've worked with them before too, and we're not worried about them."

The officer glanced over at his partner who sat silently watching the briefing. "Alright," he continued uneasily, "back to the briefing. If you get caught, you're on your own. We don't have any assets in the area that could help you." He glanced at Saunders, Troy, and Moffitt; all three sergeants indicated that they understood. Looking at his watch, he shifted in his seat. "We don't have much time before you have to leave. Let's finish this; I'll leave you the packet to study once it gets light. Destroy everything but the maps once you memorize it. Everything from here on out is on a 'need to know' basis." He looked at both Troy and Saunders and received nods from each of them.

The officer handed the packet to Saunders with a grim expression. "You're in charge Sergeant Saunders but I strongly advise you to consult with both Sergeant Troy and Sergeant Moffitt. You come highly recommended but your experience is that of a front line soldier; this mission is slightly different than what you normally do."

"Why not put Sergeant Troy in charge?" Saunders inquired, his eyes going to the other sergeant. "Like you said, he has the experience at this sort of thing."

The officer shook his head. Sergeant Troy recommended that I put you in charge since the majority of the men are yours. He assures me that you have the respect and loyalty of every man here. He and his men will take their orders from you." Eyeing Saunders, the officer continued, "Having the respect of every man present is saying something Sergeant, I hope you don't take that lightly."

"No Sir," Saunders shook his head, "I take trust very seriously."

The officer nodded, offering his hand. "Good luck to you and your men Sergeant." He nodded at the ring of faces surrounding him. "Everything you need should be in that packet; I hope to hear from you soon."

"Thank you Sir. I believe we'll take a chapter out of Sergeant Troy's playbook."

The officer looked at him with a question in his eyes.

"We'll make our own luck Sir." Saunders explained seriously, glancing at Troy. "That's the only kind you can really count on anyway."

The officer smiled and nodded before he extinguished his flashlight. He and his silent friend slipped over the tailgate and disappeared into the darkness. The men inside heard their soft footsteps as they approached the cab of the truck and gave the driver whispered instructions. As silently as will'o'wisps they vanished, leaving the truck sitting at the end of the runway.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 4

"So how are we supposed to get to the Colonel without being spotted before we get close?" Saunders eyed Troy suspiciously. "Did they tell you that?"

"Yeah." Troy nodded. "The krauts are moving troops back and forth along those roads. We're going to pose as wounded soldiers being moved deeper behind the lines."

"If we get caught we'll be shot as spies." Kirby yelped. He turned quickly toward Caje who had a smile on his face. "I know, we just don't get caught." He grumbled sourly.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Saunders asked the BAR man.

"Not getting caught?" Kirby looked at all the faces watching him, "Not at all."

"Where are we going to get the uniforms?" Caje looked at his own uniform and frowned. "Are we going to take them off some dead Germans?"

"No." Troy responded as Doc sighed with relief. "We'll get them when we switch trucks; this one won't do at all. There is a captured German truck waiting for us near our lines," he looked at all the faces watching him and grinned mischievously, "it wouldn't do to switch trucks too soon and get shot by one of our own guys."

"Wouldn't that be the last straw." The BAR man grumbled, satisfied that his concerns had been addressed.

"Try to get some more sleep." The sergeant suggested, his mind already on the job ahead.

"He sounds like Serge." Hitchcock quipped.

"No wonder you're always sleeping then." Kirby grinned. "Just be glad you get the chance. Saunders here says 'go to sleep' but then he chases us out right away for another patrol."

"Kirby."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

The older private grinned at the two younger ones before he pulled his jacket tighter around himself to go to sleep.

The two younger privates returned his grin and settled back in their seats. With a nod at their sergeants they closed their eyes to catch a nap too.

Saunders, Troy, and Moffitt moved back to the tailgate where they could whisper among themselves and not disturb the sleeping men.

"I take it you think that this mission is doable?" Saunders tried to read Troy's face in the darkness. Away from the airfield the night seemed blacker, or maybe it was the mission clouding his eyes.

"There's always a way Sergeant," Troy answered confidently. "The trick is finding the one that works best for us."

"You mean the one that lets us all live another day?"

"Yeah, that one." The other sergeant grinned. Turning serious, he glanced toward the sleeping men. "One can hope." He added softly, looking over at Moffitt who was watching the exchange with dark, glittering eyes. Troy couldn't see very well, but he was willing to bet that there was excitement shining in their depths. Moffitt loved the 'cloak and dagger' stuff, thriving on the challenges involved. He and the others had pulled the Englishman out of more than one situation gone bad; but it never seemed to bother him, he was always eager for the next adventure that came along.

"So how will this work?" Saunders held the packet aloft to let the other man know what he meant.

"Moffitt will pose as an officer. He'll ride up front to get us past the checkpoints. G-2 has managed to 'find' us a pass that should hold up to scrutiny. Hitch and Tully will take turns driving; they have more experience at this than your men. That is, if all of this is alright with you?" Troy waited for Saunders to agree. At a nod from the other sergeant, he continued. "The rest of us will be in the back sporting various injuries. How are your men at playing sick?"

"They've had some experience at that." Saunders snorted and went on to explain when he saw the questioning looks he got from the other two sergeants. "Every time they want a leave they come up with some cock-eyed ailment that they think will get them sent back to an aid station." Saunders shrugged to show that he may have exaggerated slightly. "They'll do okay." He assured the other two men.

"They won't be able to talk." Moffitt pointed out; despite thinking that Saunders was smart enough to have realized that on his own. "I will have to do all the talking for all of us. Just remember, you and your men will have to stay alert; if things go wrong, they'll go wrong fast." The Brit cautioned not only Saunders, but Troy too.

"No one can be allowed to report our presence before we reach the Colonel." Troy added.

"Understood." Saunders nodded, realizing what would happen if the Germans found out they were coming.

"I have to apologize Sergeant." Troy's quiet admission out of the blue surprised Saunders.

"For what?"

"I didn't know about the plan to pose as Germans when we asked for your squad. If any of them get caught in German uniforms…" Troy left the statement unfinished as he struggled with his conscience.

"You gave them the chance to refuse this assignment; they made their own choices." Saunders glanced at his sleeping men and felt the heavy weight of responsibly for their safety on his shoulders. They wouldn't back out without him and he knew it; that placed the blame squarely on his shoulders if something went wrong, at least in his mind.

Sam Troy was watching his privates sleep and thinking the same thing; it would be on his shoulders if anything happened to them.

Moffitt watched the two sergeants, one dark, one light, but so much alike. He knew how the mantle of leadership weighed on them and he silently prayed that none of those under their care would fall on this mission.

The rest of the trip was silent as those still awake got lost in their own thoughts.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 5

The German truck was ready and waiting for them when they arrive. A lieutenant and his squad stood guard over the vehicle and their supplies. While Saunders signed all the releases and made sure everything was in place, Troy and Moffitt took charge of getting everyone into their disguises.

Once everyone was changed into their German uniforms, Doc and the medic from the other unit set about applying realistic looking bandages. Real blood from a chicken, sacrificed for just this mission, (although it also made a nice stew), was used to keep everything looking authentic. Doc even had a jar of fresh blood in his bag to reapply if they were stopped at a checkpoint; nothing looked or smelled quite as authentic as a freshly bleeding wound.

Tully climbed behind the wheel for the first leg of the journey. Moffitt took the seat beside him, the faked travel papers clutched in his hands. The rest of the men sprawled in the back, sporting an assortment of artificial wounds.

"So how are things going in the desert?" Troy was sitting across from Saunders, studying the men, looking for any mistakes that could give them away. He looked up, the question taking his mind off the mission for a moment.

"Pretty good." He admitted with a smile, remembering that Saunders had spent time in North Africa. The Germans are all but finished; we've taken over all most all of the territory now and we're holding it. We've managed to cut their supply lines to the point where they are running out of everything. If the rumors are true, Rommel's been sent to Europe to help over here. His commanders are surrendering all over North Africa; basically it's just a mop up campaign now. The Allies have begun sending the bulk of their desert troops over here to help with the fighting too." Troy filled Saunders in on all the battles that had been fought and all the rumors that were circulating. After their defeat at El Alemein at the hands of the British general, Montgomery, the Afrika Korps had lost its' bite. If Rommel really had been sent to Europe, it would almost certainly mean that the commanders in Berlin had all but given up on North Africa.

"Where does that leave you and your guys?"

Troy shrugged, shaking his head. "That's the question, but we don't know the answer. Most of the British commando teams are being kept together and being sent to France, Belgium, Normandy or even Germany. Troy made a face, "We're not exactly a normal commando team. As far as we know there aren't any other teams made up of both British and American soldiers." The sergeant sighed as he considered the possibilities. "They might keep us together, we work well as a team; or they could split us up. They could send Moffitt back to his old unit while Tully, Hitch, and I get sent to some other American unit; either together or separately. I guess it all depends on who makes the decisions."

Saunders heard the underlying sadness the other man felt at the possibility of being separated. He couldn't see any reason why a commander would split up a successful team like the Rat Patrol, but he also knew that not every decision made by the commanders made sense to a front line soldier.

"You could always stay here and work with us." Saunders suggested. "We could put in a request for you."

Troy smiled his thanks. "That would be nice, but don't count on it." Troy laughed at the look he got from Saunders. Apparently the other sergeant realized how slim his chances of keeping them really were, slim to none.

"Alright, not going to happen." Saunders admitted grumpily. "What about this mission; how far do you think we'll be able to get in this truck?"

Troy bit his lip and considered the question. "Our papers are good, they were copied from some real ones. I guess it depends on the German officers we meet, some are more suspicious than others." Troy admitted but then added, "Moffitt is pretty good at this type of thing, if anyone can get us through, it's Moffitt."

Saunders took the reply for what it was, an educated guess. "Then all we have to do is lean back and enjoy the ride." He crossed his arms over his chest and almost immediately fell asleep.

Troy shook his head and grinned before he did the same.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 6

"Checkpoint coming up!" Moffitt called from his seat in the cab.

Saunders and Troy woke the men and put them on alert. Everyone hid their weapons under blankets or next to their legs. Doc adjusted a few bandages that had shifted as the men slept.

The truck slowed as Tully applied the brakes. Everyone strained to hear as a German officer barked questions at Sergeant Moffitt. His cool, calm replies were reassuring to the men sweating it out in the back of the truck. They tensed as Moffitt's voice traveled along the side of the truck to the tailgate.

Light flooded the dim interior as the canvas flap was pulled aside. The British sergeant held the flap aloft as a German lieutenant peered into the rear, squinting to see after the bright light outside. He eyed the 'wounded' men critically, counting the number who lay sprawled around the interior.

There were barely audible sighs of relief as he nodded to Moffitt and turned away from the tailgate. They listened as the British sergeant took his time explaining something to the officer. To the men in the back, it seemed as if he were deliberately prolonging the conversation. They sighed again as he called a farewell to the officer and the truck rocked as he climbed into the cab. Tully started the truck and they continued on their way.

"Moffitt, is everything okay?" Troy crawled over the prone bodies to reach the front of the truck. He opened the flap between the cab and the rear so he could talk to Moffitt.

"Just fine Troy, he was a bit suspicious at first but I'm pretty sure that he bought my explanations." Moffitt half turned to talk to the other sergeant.

"Good, do you want Hitch to drive for awhile?"

"No, that Lieutenant took too much interest in Tully; I don't want to arrive at the next checkpoint with a different driver. I think we should play it safe and let Tully drive."

Troy looked to Saunders who nodded that it was okay with him. "Okay, keep us informed; I'm not much for surprises unless I'm on the giving end."

Moffitt smiled his understanding and turned back to the map he was studying. Troy crawled back to his seat next to Saunders and tried to relax.

"You're right." At Troy's questioning look, Saunders explained with genuine admiration. "He seems good at that."

"He loves this stuff. He volunteers for it every chance he gets."

"Has anything ever gone wrong?"

Troy chuckled. "Oh yeah! But Moffitt always says that he knows he can count on the rest of us to get him out of whatever trouble he gets into before it's too late."

"Does Pettigrew enjoy it too?"

"Tully? Who really knows what Tully is thinking. That guy is so tight lipped that I worked with him for a month before I even knew he could talk. I think he just goes along with it because the rest of us are there. Tully will go anywhere we go because he doesn't trust anyone else to keep us safe. Tully is our unofficial 'mother hen'; worrying about the rest of us before he worries about himself. That slow drawl of his is deceiving; I really think he's almost as smart as Moffitt. Quiet, tough, dependable, that's Tully"

"And Hitchcock? I know they can take care of themselves; they did a pretty good job of that the last couple of times we worked together. It's just that , since I'm in charge, I like to know what I can count on. I believe you can teach them to fight, but to some it comes natural, and those bring their own special skills."

Troy glanced over at the sleeping blond. "Hitch…Hitch is a kid who grew up fast; from high class boarding schools to the school of hard knocks. He took to it like a duck to water. He's really good at his job; you give him something to do and you can count on it getting done. You have him watching your back; no one is going to get past him without a fight. I don't know whether it's the baby face or the bubble gum that convince people that he's too young; but they couldn't be more wrong. Don't let either one of them fool you, he's a fighter."

"Good to know." Saunders nodded before asking the next question. "How about you?"

Troy laughed, "I'm just a regular soldier who likes to do things a little different. I don't like all the rules. Why do you think I ask them to put you in charge?" When Saunders just looked at him Troy continued. "I hate writing all those reports." Saunders smiled and leaned his head back against the trucks side.

"What about you?"

The question caught him off guard and Saunders looked at Troy in confusion. "What about me?"

"Who are you Sergeant?"

Saunders paused to consider how he wanted to answer. Actually, he didn't want to answer. He already regretted starting this conversation; he usually tried not to get to know the men under him too well, it made it harder to lose them. And talking about himself, he usually tried to avoid that at all costs. Now, cornered, he wasn't sure how to answer the question.

He certainly wasn't the green kid who had joined the Army; he'd seen too much and done too much to ever be that kid again. Searching for the right words, he realized that he really didn't know how to answer the question at all.

"I'm a soldier. I do what I'm told, when I'm told. The Army gives orders, I take them and carry them out." He finally responded, giving the armys' description of a soldier.

Troy smiled knowingly, "Always? And always by the book?" He leaned back and closed his eyes, leaving Saunders with more questions than answers and the beginning of a headache.

"Hey Serge!" Kirby called. "Do you think we could open that flap and let some air in here?"

"No, you'll let all the dust in too." He answered without giving it a second thought.

"Oh yeah, I didn't think of that." The BAR man grunted. Letting the matter drop, he settled next to Caje and tried to start a conversation with him. The Cajun ignored him in favor of sleep, leaving Kirby to his own thoughts.

"Hey Littlejohn."

"Yeah Billy?"

"If we don't make it back, will you write a letter to my folks?" The question increased the heavy silence that had fallen over the occupants of the truck.

"No Billy." The big guy replied.

"Why not?"

"Because you're going to make it back; you can write your own letter."

"Oh, okay."

"Billy." Caje whispered so he wouldn't wake the others.

"Yeah Caje?"

"We're all coming back Billy, you gotta believe that."

"Yeah, I do." The timid private responded. "I just like to hear you guys say it."

Saunders listened to the chatter among his squad and wondered how he could have answered Troy's' question differently.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 7

The engine sputtered and spit, running roughly, as Tully coaxed a few more miles out of it. Several checkpoints later and he was still driving. They were now deep behind the German lines and so far their cover was holding up under scrutiny.

"Hey Serge, I think she's done." Tully raised his voice so Saunders could hear him. Moffitt already knew the situation and was working on pin pointing their exact location on the map. The engine died and the truck rolled to a stop with Tully trying to get it as far off the road as possible.

Saunders woke the men and they all piled out.

"Now what? We still have a long way to go." Saunders ignored the questions of his men as he waited for Moffitt to mark their coordinates.

"We're here Sergeant." Moffitt placed his finger on the map. Moving his finger across the paper, he pointed to another spot. "This is where we need to be; a little over forty miles by my calculations. We have less than forty-eight hours to get there, get the Colonel, and finish this assignment."

Saunders and Troy studied the map as Moffitt explained his calculations.

"If we follow the road we might be able to confiscate some new transportation but it would alert everyone to our presence. Cutting across the country, here, might get us there quicker, but that's all occupied territory. The krauts have patrols all through that area."

"Maybe we could bluff our way through, after all, we are all dressed as Germans." Saunders didn't like the choices but they would have to pick one.

"Not likely Sergeant." Moffitt shook his head. "We don't have any papers. We don't have any of the passwords or codes either. No." He shook his head again. "Our only chance with that is to stay out of sight and sneak through undetected."

"We do have some experience doing that." Troy smiled. "If we push it, we could make it."

The sergeant gave the map one last glance and nodded. "We need to get rid of these bandages. They aren't helping now and I don't want to have to explain them if we run into another kraut patrol."

"Agreed, they'd only arouse suspicion." Moffitt folded the map as Saunders issued orders to remove the bandages. Soon they looked like any other German patrol, right down to their weapons. Each man carried a German rifle to complete the illusion of being German with the added advantage of being able to pick up spare ammunition from any German outfit they tangled with successfully.

"Are we going to walk the rest of the way?" Kirby looked at Saunders with distaste. When the sergeant nodded he looked at the other members of his squad. "What'd I tell you? I knew we would end up walking before we were done."

"Kirbys' back." Caje smiled widely. "I was beginning to think we had a doppelganger in his place."

"What are you talking about?" Kirby demanded.

"Well… I heard you joking with Troy's men earlier and I was wondering who you were. The complaining Kirby is the only one we ever get to see. Welcome back my friend." Caje laughed at Kirby before he could get angry.

Kirby turned away to hide his smile, pretending to be mad at the scout.

"Saddle up, we're moving out." Leading the way, Saunders led his men through the countryside toward their goal. Staying within the trees was time consuming but necessary. Caje, as scout, was responsible for spotting any patrols in the area before they were spotted themselves. Once, not an hour after leaving the truck, he alerted the others to the presence of a German patrol. At his signal the entire squad took cover in a grove of trees, ducking among the sparse vegetation. They listened as the Germans skirted the grove, their hushed conversations muted by the trees.

"What were they saying?" Having waited until the patrol had passed, Saunders approached Moffitt for information. Keeping his voice low, he asked for a translation of the patrols' conversations.

"They're looking for deserters." The Brit explained in the same hushed tone. "Apparently there have been some reports of deserters around here and they have been ordered to find them."

"Great! Now they'll be watching for anyone who doesn't belong, German or not." Saunders considered his options and didn't like any of them. "Alright," he sighed in resignation, "Caje, take point again, but be careful; now we know that they are out here and hunting."

"Right Serge." Disappearing into the trees ahead of them, the scout kept his eyes and ears open for any more of the enemy. The extra caution cost them time, slowing their progress to a crawl. As darkness neared they still had a nearly thirty miles to go and not much time to get there.

"I was hoping to get there with enough time to really check the place out. I don't want to go blundering in with all the security they're bound to have." Saunders called a halt to rest and grab some rations. He was studying the map along with Sergeants Troy and Moffitt.

"We could always send a scout ahead to check out the target. He could give us the layout when we catch up with him." Troy suggested, not really liking the idea himself. "I know you don't want to split up but it would give us eyes on the target sooner."

"Not if we don't have to," Saunders objected, "I don't want anyone out there on their own."

Moffitt and Troy agreed but that was the only suggestion they could give.

"No." Saunders repeated. "We stay together; one man alone wouldn't stand a chance. All he'd have to do was to get caught and the krauts would know something was afoot. One look at our dog tags and the gig is up."

They were discussing other plans when Braddock, on guard, alerted the camp to company coming. The men scattered, ducking into the shadows, staying perfectly still to wait.

A lone figure appeared along the path they had been following, moving stealthily from shadow to shadow. Bundled in a loose garment, the figure looked like a short legged body builder.

Saunders and his men waited for the figure to pass them by, holding their weapons ready, hoping they wouldn't need them.

In the dark the stranger traveled the path like someone who knew it well, stepping over exposed roots and rocks with ease. It was Doc who inadvertently gave them away. With his face buried in the brush to hide his white skin, a piece of grass tickled his nose. Before he could stop himself, he sneezed.

The figure froze in mid-step, looking toward the unexpected sound. No one moved for a full thirty seconds; then the figure gave a small squeal and fled. Leaping over a fallen log, the figure landed awkwardly on top of Littlejohn and went down with another squeak.

"Grab him Littlejohn." Saunders called in a loud whisper.

Caje and Pettigrew jumped from their hiding places to help the big man secure the prisoner. Slapping his hand across the figures face, Caje let out a grunt as sharp teeth bit into his palm. Holding on despite the bite, he and Tully managed to muffle any outcries while pulling the figure bodily off of Littlejohn.

Maintaining is hold, Caje muttered a curse in French. The body he held stilled immediately although he could still feel the figure fighting to breathe around his hand.

"Hey Serge, we got us an interesting problem here." Tully drawled quietly as he loosened his hold on the prisoner.

"What's wrong?"

"American?"

The voice was soft, not masculine; small hands pulled at the hand over her mouth.

"A woman?" Kirby blurted out before anyone else could say a word.

"A woman." Tully confirmed solemnly.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 8

"Who are you?" Saunders demanded of the prisoner who still struggled against the hands holding her.

"American?" She asked again, her eyes darting from man to man and back to the uniforms.

"American." Saunders finally admitted.

The girl relaxed in the grip of Tully and Littlejohn. She began to talk rapidly in French, talking mostly to Saunders as the leader. He listened for a few minutes before he held up a hand to halt her tirade. Seeing his confusion, she paused for a moment, waiting to see what he would do.

"Caje, what's she saying?"

"She says she thought we were Germans. She is afraid of them; they come to her fathers' farm and take whatever they want. Her father hides her to protect her, but she is afraid that someday they will find her."

The girl began talking again, facing Caje now as he listened intently.

"She says the Germans patrol this area all the time. We must leave here, they will find us. She says that she and her parents have prayed that the Americans would come and chase the Germans away."

"What are we going to do with her Serge?" Billy was watching the young French girl with dread. "We aren't going to hurt her, are we?"

Saunders pushed his German helmet up out of his eyes with one finger and groaned. "No Billy, we're not going to hurt her." He glanced at Caje, "Can we trust her to keep her mouth shut about us?"

The Cajun shrugged in reply. "We know nothing about her Serge, how can we know?"

Sensing their concern, the girl began to babble again, directing her looks at Saunders but talking to Caje.

"She says our secret is safe with her. She promises she will tell no one that she saw us."

"Yeah, I bet." The sergeant grunted, looking disgusted. "So now our safety is in the hands of a girl whose what, fifteen?"

"Age doesn't really matter Sergeant, the question is, will she sell us out?" Troy's cold voice quieted the frightened girl. For the first time since she realized that they were American, she seemed scared of them.

"The Germans haven't treated the locals very well since they took over." Caje pointed out to both sergeants. "They might be willing to keep our presence a secret if they don't like the Germans."

"We don't really have a choice." Saunders admitted tiredly. "We'll have to trust her and keep an eye out for any traps just in case she talks."

"I suggest that you send an escort to see her home safely and see what she says when she gets there." Moffitt's quiet suggestion brought nods from the others.

"Caje, you and Hitchcock follow her home. See who she talks to and what she says. Then beat it back here. Don't let her know that you're following her." He looked toward the girl cowering among the men. "Tell her she's free to go." The scout nodded and glanced at the blond.

"We'll let you know Serge." The two men allowed the girl to get a head start before they blended into the darkness and followed her.

Keeping to the shadows along the path, the girl rushed toward home. With her heart thumping in her ears with fear, she didn't realize that she was being followed. She glanced behind her on occasion but the two soldiers saw her turning and hid from sight. As she got closer to home her confidence grew, she traveled faster, eager to get to the safety of her parents house.

She crossed a small stream on the edge of her fathers' farm, hurrying to get to the farmhouse. Her foot slipped on the round rocks in the streambed and she threw her arm out for balance. Catching her balance on a large boulder, she regained her footing and made it to the dry ground on the other side. Gathering her skirts, she took another step toward home, only to be stopped by a hard voice telling her to halt. Frozen in fear, she paused before turning toward the voice.

A German soldier stepped out of the brush next to the stream. Holding his rifle in one hand, he beckoned the girl to come closer with the other. Glancing about wildly, she realized that to run would be futile. Bowing her head to the inevitable, she took a step toward the soldier.

Even in the dark she could see the lust in his thin face. His eyes glittered as he urged her to come closer, reaching for her. Too frightened to resist, she took another step toward him.

A second soldier appeared on the other side of the stream, stepping boldly out of the shadows and calling to her in French. She recognized the American soldier in the German uniform who had translated for her earlier. Confused as to why he was here, she hesitated and waited for him to approach.

Calling to the girl, Caje pretended to be her lover, calling her back to him. Telling her to act the part, he held his arms out as she ran into them. He held her in a tight hug and whispered into her ear that he would protect her. She clung desperately to him as the German soldier demanded an explanation.

Caje ignored him, pulling the girl to the side and pushing her behind him. Taking a protective stance, he faced the German soldier. The soldier again demanded an explanation, accusing Caje of taking his girl since he had seen her first. Not knowing any German, Caje faced him with a glare and waited.

He didn't have long to wait; the German approached him, splashing through the stream. His tirade got louder as Caje still hadn't answered him. His verbal attack covered the sound as Mark Hitchcock approached from behind. Carrying a fist sized rock, Hitchcock crept closer to the unsuspecting German. He raised the rock to smash the kraut across the head. Drawing his arm back, he stopped and planted his feet to strike.

The girl, seeing Hitchcock, gave a soft cry of surprise as she stared at him. Just as Hitch swung the rock, the German spun, a knife in his free hand. The rock collided with his left temple even as his knife slid into Hitchcock's unprotected side. Both men fell into the stream, their blood mingling in the swiftly moving water.

Hitchcock managed to catch himself on his knees. Holding his bleeding side, he pushed himself to his feet. The German lay face down, motionless. Hitch looked down at him, assuring himself that the threat had been eliminated. Then slowly, fighting back the groan of pain, he lowered himself to a rock. Sitting there, holding his side, he glanced at Caje, knowing that they now had a problem.

The girl, realizing that her expression had given him away, began to cry and apologize over and over again. It took Caje several moments to calm her down and send her on her way.

The two privates eyed the dead German with a worried look.

"I have an idea." Hitchcock managed to get out between gasps of pain. "That's why I used a rock instead of a knife, but I need your help." He quietly explained his idea and supervised as Caje set the scene.

Saunders and the others were waiting for them when they returned.

Caje was supporting the weight of the blond almost entirely by the time they made it back to the others. They had packed the wound so that they wouldn't leave a blood trail from the stream. Hitchcock was panting heavily and barely lifting his feet as they staggered into the darkened camp. Others rushed to take the burden from the scout as he nearly collapsed himself.

Hitchcock was lowered to the ground and Doc rushed to his side with the medical kit.

"What happened?" Troy demanded before Saunders could ask. He threw the other sergeant an apologetic glance before turning back to Caje.

The scout was still trying to get his breath back; he sat gulping in air, leaning forward to help the oxygen reach his brain.

"We followed the girl like you said Serge." The Cajun looked at Saunders. "Then this kraut steps out of some bushes just as she crossed a stream. She looked really scared Serge." Caje tried to impress the sergeant with the feel of the situation.

Saunders nodded, waiting for the rest.

"I pretended to be her lover and called to her. She came to me and I promised to protect her from the kraut." Here Caje paused to take another few deep breaths.

Everyone glanced at Doc and Hitchcock let out a low moan.

"I kept the kraut busy looking at me while Mark snuck up behind him. I guess he saw the girl's reaction when she noticed Mark. All of a sudden he pulled a knife and spun around. He stabbed Mark before I could yell a warning or jump in to help." Caje looked at the other three 'rats' to see if they looked like they blamed him. To his relief, they just looked worried, not angry.

"What happened to the kraut?" Forgetting the injured man for the moment, Saunders needed to know if their presence would be reported.

"He's dead Serge." Caje assured his sergeant.

"Did you hide the body? If they find him they'll send patrols out to search for his killer." Saunders asked the question and frowned as Caje began to shake his head no. "Caje?"

"We left the body in the stream Serge. Mark killed him with a rock, that's the only mark on him."

Saunders glared at his scout. "But he's still dead."

"Yeah Serge, but the rocks in the streambed were slippery. We brushed his head against some boulders in the water and we left him face down next to the rock. We figured that the Germans might think that he slipped crossing the stream and hit his head. The only blood was his, we cleaned the knife and put it back. His rifle was still in his hand, underneath him in the water. Mark and I stayed in the stream for a while so we wouldn't leave tracks."

Saunders nodded; the ruse might work as long as the Germans didn't catch sight of the rest of them. "What about the girl?"

"I sent her home. We couldn't follow her any further, but after we saved her, I thought we could trust her. Mark needed help and we needed to take care of the dead guy."

Deciding that there was nothing else that could be done, Saunders turned his attention to Doc and his patient.

"How is he?"

"Bad." The medic replied, his fingers pressing against the wound.

Moffitt knelt next to them to offer his help.

"We can't move him Serge, he'll bleed to death. He needs to rest; if I can get the bleeding stopped, he has a chance."

"Can't." Mark Hitchcock panted, opening his eyes.

"Can't what Hitch?" Sam Troy leaned over his driver for clarification.

"Can't stay here, they'll find me." Hitch panted, squeezing his eyes against the pain.

"We can't move you." Doc protested, his training kicking in, telling his patient the bare facts.

"I know." The blond responded, looking toward his friends. "You can't take me, even if I could travel… I'd slow you down too much."

"Hitch."

"No Serge, you know it's true. You barely have enough time to get there as it is. You won't make it in time carrying me."

"We can leave a man behind to stay with him." Saunders decided.

"No." The blond insisted. "You're going up against a lot of security; you're going to need every man you have."

"What are you saying Hitch?" Troy demanded, dread making his voice sharp.

"You're going have to leave me Serge."

"You know we can't do that. You couldn't avoid the Germans in the shape you're in."

"You have to hide the grave so they won't find it Serge. Otherwise they'll know you guys are in the area."

"No!."

"If they find me, they'll know I'm American. They'll start looking for you guys."

"No Hitch!"

The blond was panting from exhaustion, struggling to keep talking, to convince the others.

"You're not dead." Billy stated the obvious; his shock showing on his face. Littlejohn nudged his shoulder to quiet anything else he might say.

"I will be," Hitchcock answered, "all Doc has to do is let it bleed."

Troy looked up at Saunders, worried what he might see in the others' eyes.

"The mission comes first Serge," Hitchcock looked at first one sergeant then the other. "It's the only way to assure that I don't compromise the mission."3


	9. Chapter 9

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 9

"You can't be seriously considering this!" Troy stared at the other sergeant.

"I don't like it any better than you Troy! He's one of mine for this mission; do you really think I want to leave him behind?"

"Saunders is right Troy." Moffitt's quiet tone interrupted the charged conversation. "And Hitch is also correct. The mission comes first; others are counting on us to do our jobs. We'll do what we can for him and hide him as well as possible. We'll come back for him."

Troy studied the wounded private, knowing that the others were right. He tried to burn the features of his injured driver into his brain, afraid it might be the last time he saw him.

"Serge! Someone's coming!"

Tully dropped next to Hitch and covered his body with his own as the camp once again dove for cover. This time there were two figures approaching, and they were following the path that Hitch and Caje had used.

"Americans? Americans?"

The soft voice of the girl called to them as she and her companion neared their camp. With a growl, Saunders showed himself, frustration making his moves stiff and angry.

Stopping at his sudden appearance, the girls' companion pushed her behind him and protected her with his own body.

"Caje…find out who he is and ask her why she's here."

The others rose and surrounded the pair as Saunders sent Tully to check for anyone else.

The girl talked rapidly to Caje, waving her hands about as she spoke. The Cajun listened as she pointed at her companion, at Hitchcock, who was now unconscious, and toward the others. Tully returned to say that the woods were clear before the girl finished her explanations. Impatient, Saunders ordered Caje to begin translating before ''he shot someone' just on principle.

The scout smiled and nodded at the girl and her companion. He asked her some questions before he turned to the sergeant.

"This is her father." Caje indicated the man standing next to the girl. "She says that she told him how we saved her from the 'bad' German. She blames herself for Mark getting hurt. She asked how he was doing." Caje looked toward Doc and his patient. "I explained that he had chosen to die to save our mission. She was very upset. She says her father and mother are willing to hide him until we can return for him." Caje saw the hope flare in the eyes of the sergeants. "She says they will nurse him until he is well if we wish."

The three sergeants exchanged grins, the situation was looking better by the minute.

"Doc, how is he?"

"Unconscious, he's lost a lot of blood; but I think I have the bleeding stopped." The medic looked up at Saunders. "We can maybe move him for a short distance but any prolonged moving will open the wound again."

"Can we take him to their farmhouse?"

Doc nodded cautiously. "We should be able to, we'll have to go slow and careful."

"Okay." Saunders ordered, to the relief of all his men, "find a blanket we can use as a stretcher. We'll get him settled before we move out."

It was a quiet group that moved through the dark path in the still of the night. Only an occasional grunt disturbed the silence as they carried their burden toward the farmhouse.

"He'll be okay until we get back, won't he Serge?" Billy asked as he watched Doc help the Frenchman settle Hitchcock into a hidden room under their chicken pen.

"We built it to hide our daughter." The man explained to Caje as they lowered the blond down the ladder. "She comes here whenever we know that the Germans are near."

"He'll be okay Billy." Littlejohn told the smaller man. "We'll be back soon and he'll be ready to travel. We'll take him home and he'll be good as new, you'll see."

"Sure Littlejohn," Kirby growled quietly, "and I bet you believe in Santa Claus too."

"He'll be okay," Littlejohn insisted, "you'll see. Serge wouldn't leave him if he didn't think he'd be alright."

"Littlejohn, you big dummy, Serge doesn't have a choice." Kirby grumbled as he walked away.

"Hey Serge!"

Saunders turned from his inspection of the trees around the farmhouse when Caje yelled. "What is it now?"

The scout hurried to where the three sergeants were standing together. "The girl's father, he has a truck that he uses to haul firewood."

"So?"

"So he says he can fit all of us in there. It might be a tight but he says we will all fit."

"So?"

"He's willing to drive us anywhere we want to go as long as it doesn't go beyond where his pass allows him to go." The Cajun smiled. "He hauls wood to the villages and the Germans anywhere within twenty miles of here."

Moffitt smiled. "That would save us twenty miles of walking."

"But can we trust him?" The sergeant wondered aloud.

"We're trusting him to take care of Hitch. I don't see where we have a great many options at this point." The British sergeant answered with a grim face.

"Does he know where we're going?" Saunders asked the Cajun.

"No Serge, and he hasn't asked. He just said he would drive us anywhere we want to go."

"Okay, find out when he can leave. Tomorrow morning at first light would be good. We'll tell him where we want to go just before we leave."

Caje nodded and returned to the farmer. The man nodded his agreement, motioning toward his barn. Caje nodded again and smiled as he headed for his sergeants.

"He'll be ready at first light." Saunders acknowledged the confirmation. "He says we can sleep in the barn until then. He suggests that we sleep light though because the Germans will come looking for their man. There is a tunnel leading out of the barn if we need it." Saunders looked surprised so Caje hurried to explain. "He uses it to get his daughter out of sight before the Germans find her."

"Tell him thank you, and we'll be ready at first light."

The Americans bedded down in the loose straw and were soon fast asleep.

Tully, on first watch, made sure he kept an eye on the chicken coop as well as the barn. His sleep, when it was his turn, was restless and plagued by bad dreams.


	10. Chapter 10

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 10

"At this rate we should be there by noon. That gives us plenty of time for a recon." Saunders allowed a small smile to curve his lips. "Troy, you and your men take Caje and do the recon. The rest of us will wait for you back in the hills out of sight."

Troy agreed with the plan and appreciated the confidence that Saunders had shown in them. With a stab of worry he thought of Hitchcock alone on the Frenchman's farm.

"Concentrate on the job at hand and we'll be headed home soon."

Troy turned his head to see Moffitt watching him. "That transparent, huh?"

"We're all thinking the same thing Troy; but we have to finish this job before we can go back to check on him."

"Yeah, we do, and we will. I just wish we hadn't had to leave him; I don't like being split up."

Moffitt smiled at the other sergeant. "None of us liked it, but it couldn't be helped this time. He wouldn't have survived the trip here. He's better off where he is."

"I know." Troy admitted. "But I still don't like it."

The truck was getting stuffy by the time it slowed and stopped in a grove of trees.

"This is as far as he can take us." Caje called from the front of the truck. "There is a checkpoint about a half mile ahead."

Saunders nodded and ordered everyone out of the truck. Moffitt immediately went to the driver holding out his map. With Caje translating, they soon pin pointed their location. With a wave of farewell and a final word with Caje, the Frenchman drove away, back the way he had come.

"What did he say Caje?" Saunders called to his scout.

"He said he would take care of our friend until we return," and Caje hesitated, "or until he is well enough to leave on his own."

"Doesn't have much faith in our promise to return, does he?" Kirby grouched.

"Neither do you." Littlejohn pointed out. "You were all gloom and doom last night."

"I was just talking," the BAR man retorted, "It don't mean nothing."

"Can it! We're moving out." Silenced by their sergeant, the men fell into a loose formation, shouldering their packs for the hike to their destination.

"Caje, take point, Kirby, bring up the rear."

The last ten miles were covered in less time than anticipated. The predicted time of a noon arrival was off by an hour and a half. The sun had not yet reached its peak when they arrived at the chateau.

"Sure are a lot of krauts on guard." Billy remarked to no one in particular.

"How are we going to do this Serge? Wasn't Hitchcock the one who was supposed to plant the charges to blow this place up?" Braddock watched the guards pace the perimeter of the compound. It seemed to him that there wasn't much room for mistakes with the guards so close together.

"Hitch got the charges ready before we left the base." Tully Pettigrew explained before Saunders could reply. "All we have to do is plant them and set the timers. The rest is history as they say."

"Oh, that's all we have to do huh?" Kirby's whine carried along the line of men belly down in the dirt.

"We'll take care of planting the charges Kirby, nobody is asking you." Troy stopped the complaining before it could affect morale.

"Just do what you're told and shut up Kirby." Saunders growled.

The BAR man tightened his grip on his rifle and wished he had his Browning. The compound below them appeared to be heavily guarded and well-fortified; the Browning would have come in handy in a fight. With a whispered prayer for luck, he waited for instructions as Saunders and the other sergeants discussed their plans.

"Caje," Caje moved closer to Saunders at the sound of his name. "You go with Troy and his men. You four are in charge of recon. Find out where the Colonel is and anything else you can tell me about the camp. Troy knows what we need."

Caje nodded, the recon seemed routine. The last statement struck him as a bit odd but he let it slide. Troy would clarify any orders if there was a question.

The three 'rats' and Caje started to make their way closer to the compound as Saunders pulled the rest of the men back.

"We'll wait in that grove we found earlier. Troy knows where it is and they'll meet us there." The rest of the squad pulled back to the grove and set about making their camp as inconspicuous as possible. The sun crossed the sky and disappeared without the return of the four man recon team.

"Hey Serge?"

"Yeah Billy?" Saunders pulled his attention away from the surrounding trees to look at Billy who had dropped down next to him.

"Do you think something went wrong?"

"No Billy." The sergeant rubbed his forehead to try to ease the ache there. "They're just taking their time and doing it right."

"Did we get here in time?"

"I hope so." The sergeant sighed. "If not, then all this was for nothing."

"Are we still going to blow the compound?"

"Yeah Billy, we're going to blow the compound." Saunders patted the private on the shoulder. "Did you check your gear, make sure that you have everything you need?"

"I did Serge. I checked it before we left and I checked it again just a little bit ago. Ask Littlejohn, I checked it."

"I believe you Billy, I don't need to ask Littlejohn. Just relax then and get some rest; we'll probably be moving out before morning."

"Okay Serge." Billy agreed reluctantly. With a sigh he returned to the rest of the squad.

The sergeant watched him walk away, noting the slump in his shoulders.

"Everything okay Serge?" Doc approached from the rear.

"Yeah, fine." Saunders responded, hoping it was true.


	11. Chapter 11

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 11

"Did you locate all the guards?"

"Yes, we checked the entire perimeter. We found a few places where we might be able to sneak through. The barracks will be easy to reach but the officers' quarters have extra guards. Some of the buildings will be tricky." Moffitt and Tully reported to Troy after they completed their immediate assignment of checking the security for the chateau.

"But you can reach them to plant the explosives?"

"Yes, I'm sure we can." Moffitt nodded with certainty. "Did you find the Colonel?"

"Yeah." Troy grunted wearily. "But he's not going to be easy to reach either. We'll have to move in close and wait for our chance and that leaves us vulnerable the whole time we're there." The sergeant didn't try to hide his unease at the proposed plan.

"Why not stay back and shoot him from a distance?" The Cajun asked in confusion. "Isn't that what Tully does best? All we have to do is kill him, right?" The odd comment came back to haunt him; Caje was beginning to suspect that there was something going on that no one had mentioned earlier.

Troy and Moffitt exchanged glances before Troy looked at first Tully, then Caje. "This was a 'need to know' assignment. All that you needed to know was that we were after the Colonel. The fact is, we aren't here to kill him, we're here to capture him and bring him back."

Tully accepted the news quietly, just nodding as Troy looked his way. Given his trust in his sergeants, he was willing to follow their lead no matter where it led. Caje, on the other hand, looked confused as he looked back at the sergeants.

"How are we supposed to get back through their lines with the Colonel as a prisoner? Won't they send all their troops out to search for him?"

Troy nodded, "They would if they knew we took him."

"They'll know he's gone pretty quickly." Caje replied.

"Not if we blow up the chateau and they think he died in the blast." Troy explained the plan to the two privates. "As long as no one sees us grab him, they'll think he died along with the other casualties of the blast. If they don't find a body it won't seem too strange with the amount of explosives we're going to use."

"Okay," Caje was willing to give the plan the benefit of the doubt, "But what if we are seen on our way back? Even if we got away, they might recognize the Colonel." The private looked between the sergeants. "We have a long way to go to get back to our lines."

Troy glanced at Moffitt. "That's true, but we won't have the Colonel with us."

"I don't understand," Caje hesitated, "where will he be if not with us?"

"We're going to hand him off to someone else to take back to headquarters."

"Hand him off…. To who?"

"Need to know Caje. It's not that we don't trust you, either of you, but the fewer people who know the whole plan, the better."

Caje turned to look at Tully, who had not spoken a word during the entire conversation, "Did you know about this?"

Tully rolled the matchstick with his tongue and shook his head. "I'm just hearing it now, same as you, but it makes sense. Why kill the guy after he finishes the job? Now capturing him, that makes sense, he can tell us all their plans. Even better if they don't know we have him." Tully looked at the sergeants with respect shinning in his eyes. "I can even understand them not telling everyone, if Hitch had known…" Tully suddenly stopped talking, regretting his mention of the other privates' name. He looked uneasily toward Troy, seeing the worry on the sergeants' face."

"Yeah…," Troy growled, "if Hitch had known and he got caught, they might have forced him to talk eventually. That would have spoiled everything; this plan works better if they don't find out that we took the Colonel."

"Sorry Serge." Tully blushed at his mention of Hitchcock. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded; Hitch wouldn't talk."

"It's okay Tully, I know he wouldn't, let's just forget it."

Tully hung his head, wishing he hadn't said anything.

"He'll be alright." Moffitt broke the tense silence to offer encouragement. "I think we can trust the girl and her family; they'll take care of him."

Troy didn't look at the British sergeant, he just nodded and turned away. "Let's get in position. You two set the charges. Caje and I will watch for the Colonel and get him out as soon as we locate him. We'll let you know when we're clear."

Caje watched Moffitt and Tully disappear with their heavy packs. Having seen the chateau up close, he realized why they carried so many explosives. He waited in silence for Troy to tell him what he needed to do next.

The sergeant watched as Moffitt and Tully vanished into the nearby trees. With a heavy sigh, he shook himself and mentally prepared himself for the night ahead.

"Okay Caje, I'm going in, I want you on the perimeter to watch my exit. I'll let you know when I'm on my way out. Until then, stay hidden and stay aware of anyone else in the area. Be prepared to take them out if necessary."

Caje nodded his understanding. At the thought of the long night ahead of him, he envied Tully his matchsticks and Hitch his gum; those little vices at least gave them some small distraction from the boredom of staying on guard.

"Let's move, it won't take Tully and Moffitt more than a few hours to plant the charges, if that long." The sergeant led the way down the hill toward the chateau that the Germans had turned into an officer's getaway.

On the perimeter of the compound Troy halted and motioned for Caje to hide. With a quick grin and a thumbs-up, he left the private to watch for anyone who might block their way out of the compound.

The stars were bright, easier to see since there was barely any moon and few lights in the compound. Blackout curtains covered all the windows in every building. There was no foot traffic to speak of, only an occasional pedestrian who hurried from one building to the next. The sounds of men drinking and having a good time mingled with the laughter of the woman who entertained them.

Troy listened at the door of one of the buildings, hidden in the shadows as he tried to detect any voices. Secure in their own territory, the guards were not as alert as those the Rat Patrol would likely meet in a battle zone. Hearing nothing, he stepped into the doorway and tried the door knob. It turned, much to his surprise, allowing him to slip inside. He found himself in a dark room, it looked like a parlor, or waiting room; chairs were placed around the room to allow for the free flow of conversation. The house had been taken over by the Germans and now served as a boarding house for the visiting officers. The soft snores of someone sleeping on the second floor drew him up the stairs. Step by careful step, he cautiously climbed to the landing, pausing to locate the room with the sleeper. Having seen the Colonel enter the house earlier, it was his belief that it was the Colonel who was about to get his slumber disturbed.

Creeping along the hall, he checked each room as he passed, making sure that they were empty. One room turned out to be occupied; he could make out a darker form lying in the bed. Pulling his knife, he inched closer, ready to silence the man if it was not the Colonel. Opening the curtain a crack, he could just make out the face of the sleeping man. The heavy features bore no resemblance to their target so Troy let the curtain drop as he raised the knife. The strong smell of alcohol tickled his nose. As he leaned toward the bed the odor grew stronger; it was like holding the bottle under his nose, it was so strong. The German officer snorted in his sleep and flopped onto his side. Realizing that the officer was too drunk to wake up, Troy let him sleep. Making his way to the door, he quietly pulled it shut with a soft click of the lock.

Following the sounds of the snoring took him to the last door at the end of the hall. Peering inside, he spotted the lumpy shape of a human body sprawled across the bed. Sneaking to the edge of the bed, he looked down into the face of his target.

Using his gun barrel, he knocked the sleeping man unconscious. After gagging him and tying his hands, the sergeant rolled his prisoner onto his side and poured water from the nightstand over his face.

The Colonel awoke with a start, throwing his head around wildly. Trying to sit up, his eyes widened as he slowly realized what was happening.

"I know you speak English Colonel so let's not play dumb. I want you to get up and come quietly. Do you understand?" Troy gripped the Colonel's arm forcefully as he whispered in his ear. The barrel of his gun poked painfully into the bound man's side.

Eyes wide with surprise, the Colonel nodded as he tried to twist to see the American who had dared to invade his room.

"Nice and easy Colonel; give me any trouble and I'll just slit your throat and save myself." The sergeant's gravelly voice so close to his ear sent shivers along the spine of the prisoner.

Troy pushed the Colonel ahead of him, keeping his eyes open for guards or any other soldiers who were outside the buildings. Once he thought he caught a flash of movement near one of the buildings. Shoving the Colonel to the ground, he watched the spot to see if the movement was repeated.

It was nearly a minute before he detected another flash of movement, but this time he was looking for it. The glimpse was so brief that he wasn't sure at first that he had actually seen it. His mind replayed the moment for him, clarifying the memory. With a sigh of relief, he realized that it was Moffitt, planting the charges, that he had seen. With a small wave to attract the other sergeants' attention, he caught Moffitt's eye. Indicating his prisoner, he waited for the other man to acknowledge the completion of phase one of the mission. When Moffitt gave him a thumbs-up, he pulled his prisoner to his feet and continued toward where he had left Caje.

Caje heard the whisper of sound before he saw the two men approaching. Troy's soft call alerted him to their identity. He watched as the two forms approached, so close together that they almost appeared to be one large figure.

"Everything okay?" Troy asked as soon as he reached the other man.

"Fine Serge." Caje answered, eying the prisoner, who stared back at him. "So this is the guy we were supposed to grab?"

Troy glanced over at his prisoner and nodded. "This is the guy. Not a very impressive specimen is he? Those pajamas really make him look powerful, don't you think?" The sergeant smiled at the glare the comment brought him from the prisoner. "I don't think he's real happy with me right now." The sergeant scanned the surroundings to make sure that they were alone. "Alright, let's get this guy back to the others… Moffitt and Tully will be joining us later."

Caje did his own survey of the surrounding countryside before he led the way toward their camp. Troy kept his knife in his hand, using it to prod the prisoner when he tried to lag behind the scout. Any problems and they had orders to kill the prisoner and get clear; the sergeant decided that the knife was a much quieter weapon than a gun to do the job.


	12. Chapter 12

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 12

Braddock, on guard, alerted the camp to the arrival of Caje and Troy with their prisoner. Saunders met them at the edge of the camp, eager to assure himself that things were going as planned.

Troy shoved the prisoner forward to stand in front of the other sergeant.

"Everything okay?" Saunders eyed the German Colonel with interest.

"Just fine. Moffitt and Tully will follow us later. They're going to stay behind to make sure that the Colonel isn't missed before the fireworks." Troy put his knife away and motioned toward the German. "He's all yours Sergeant."

Saunders nodded.

"What are we going to do with him? I thought our orders were to kill him." Kirby was the one who voiced the question that was on the minds of all of them.

"Change of plans." Saunders told them flatly, refusing to elaborate. "Littlejohn, Kirby, you're going to be in charge of the Colonel while he's with us. Make sure he keeps up and stays quiet." The sergeant waited for both men to acknowledge the order. "Alright, everybody saddle up, we have a long way to go, and I want to get moving before the Colonel is missed."

"One more thing..," Troy stopped the squad as they prepared to move out, "the Colonel here speaks perfect English, so be careful what you say."

"Good to know." Caje murmured, looking toward his squad mates.

"Move out!" Saunders called again, eager to be on his way.

With Caje once again on point, the squad began to pick their way through the dark terrain.

"Caje," Saunders called, "take us to the road to make better time. You'll have to stay far enough ahead that you can warn us before anyone hears us coming."

The scout acknowledged the order and veered sharply to make a beeline for the road. Once there, the squad picked up the pace, pushing themselves and their prisoner to put as much distance between themselves and the chateau as possible.

They had covered several miles before they heard the loud booms of the charges detonating. Saunders glanced back to see Troy listening to the explosions. Troy turned back to see him watching. "We'd better get off the road, reinforcements will be coming to investigate, and they'll probably be using this road."

Saunders agreed and sent Billy to tell Caje. They continued to follow the road but now they stayed to one side in the trees. Their caution paid off as first one truck, then several more, raced past them in the darkness, heading toward the chateau.

Troy and Saunders pushed harder, letting Caje lead them toward their next destination. No one spoke as they moved along, the situation having become more dangerous since the explosions. The Germans now knew that there were saboteurs in the area and they would launch an all-out search for them. Every move they made from here on out would have to be carefully executed if they expected to make it back to their own lines. More than one man among them glanced at the prisoner and wondered how they were going to get past the Germans without being detected.

The sky was starting to lighten as the sun tried to climb above the horizon. Saunders called a halt to rest, sitting next to Troy. Troy unfolded his map and the two sergeants compared notes on their position.

"It looks like we're right where we need to be." Troy smiled, pointing to the map. "Our contact should be arriving just over that hill in less than half an hour."

"That's if the area is clear. I'm sending two teams out to check for activity."

Troy nodded his approval.

"Littlejohn, Billy, head around that way and see if we have any company. Be back here in twenty minutes. Braddock, Caje, you go the other way around. Twenty minutes." Saunders waved his men around the trees to check out the area surrounding the field on the other side of the hill. "Kirby, keep your eye on our prisoner. Make sure he stays put and stays quiet."

The two sergeants took binoculars and moved to the edge of the trees where they could observe the field. Saunders kept his eyes on the ground, scanning the field and the trees. Troy ignored the trees and kept his eyes on the sky.

Almost twenty minutes later Braddock and Caje returned, reporting an all clear on their half of the perimeter. Saunders checked his watch, wondering what was keeping Billy and Littlejohn. Five more minutes ticked by and still the two men had not returned.

"Caje, Braddock, go find them. Tell them to get back here."

"Be right back Serge." Braddock replied with confidence.

Saunders nodded, distracted by the far off sound of a small plane.

Moments later, when the plane came into sight, Troy focused on it with his binoculars. "It's ours," he turned to call to Saunders, "do we signal it to land?"

Saunders looked around, trying to spot his four men. Seeing no sign of them made him nervous; but there had been no gun shots or warnings of any kind.

"Signal them to land." He confirmed.

Troy flashed a small hand-held mirror at the plane. At the signal the sound of the engine changed as the pilot prepared to land.

"Why are we signaling to a spotter plane?" Kirby asked as he pushed the prisoner closer to the sergeants.

"We're sending the Colonel back on that plane." Saunders explained his eyes on the small aircraft. "If we try to walk him back there is a chance he'd be spotted and recognized."

"Oh." Kirby glanced at the prisoner to gauge his reaction to the news. The Colonel hadn't caused any trouble so far, but Kirby didn't trust the look in his eyes. The Colonel watched the plane a moment before focusing his attention on a nearby hill. Kirby's eyes narrowed as he watched the German officer staring at the empty spot across the valley. "Hey Serge."

"Yeah?" Saunders turned from watching the plane to look at Kirby.

"This kraut keeps staring over that way. Isn't that where Billy and Littlejohn disappeared?"

Troy turned at the comment to look at the German who was now staring at the ground. Twisting, the sergeant focused his field glasses on the other side of the hill. A careful scan revealed a darker spot near the top of the hill; if he hadn't suspected it was there, he would have missed it. The tree foliage did not quite match the surrounding shades. Troy grabbed the mirror and warned the plane off. The engine whined as the pilot gave it more power and pulled the nose up to go around.

A machine gun opened fire on the unarmed aircraft as it climbed for safety. The little plane shuttered but continued to climb. More gunfire erupted as the men from Saunders squad attacked the machine gun nest. A brief but violent battle followed with the machine gun finally falling silent. A flash from the other side of the valley told Saunders that his men had won the fight.

During the brief battle, the Colonel had been listening and smiling but the smile disappeared as the scout plane, responding to another signal, began its descent. The Colonel made a desperate bid for freedom as the small aircraft prepared to land. He lunged to his feet and took off running, only stopping when Kirby tackled him and pulled him to the ground.

The field was rough, throwing the small plane around as it taxied to a stop. Saunders, Troy, Kirby and Doc hustled the prisoner out of the trees and across the field to the waiting aircraft.

Moving ahead to talk to the pilot, he was not too surprised to recognize the quiet officer from the briefing on the American airfield.

"Any problems Sergeant?" The pilot asked as soon as Saunders was within hearing.

"No Sir, nothing we couldn't handle." Saunders didn't mention the loss of Hitchcock; it hadn't affected the mission since the blond didn't actually know what they were planning.

"Good, give him the shot and get him on board."

"Doc."

Doc stepped forward and injected the German Colonel with a syringe that had been provided for just this occasion. Doc and Kirby caught the falling officer as he collapsed in a heap.

"Works fast." Kirby grunted as he helped stuff the unconscious man into the small interior of the plane.

The pilot nodded his thanks, wished them luck, and revved his engines. The four men backed away from the plane as the little aircraft bounced across the field, lifted off, dropped back to the ground to bounce once before becoming airborne again. Climbing slowly, the pilot circled to avoid the taller trees and disappeared into the rising sun. All four men listened until they could no longer hear the drone of the engine.

"This might be a good time for us to take our leave." Troy suggested in the quiet left behind by the departing aircraft.

"Do you think they'll make it? Those planes don't carry any weapons." Doc asked as he stared after the plane.

"He'll pick up an escort after he clears this area. Headquarters doesn't want to draw attention to the fact that he was here but they sent him help to get home." Troy reassured the medic. Doc nodded and turned away from the field to look out across the valley to where the shooting had broken out.

"Yeah, let's go see how Billy and Littlejohn made out." Saunders had them move back into the trees to make a circle around the field. They hadn't gone far when they heard someone approaching; the four men hit the dirt and sought cover. They were well hidden when Braddock and Caje came into view. The two men were supporting Littlejohn while Billy brought up the rear. They nearly dropped him when Saunders let them know he was there.

"Don't do that Serge!" Braddock scolded, holding his hand over his heart.

"What happened?"

"Billy and Littlejohn spotted that machine gun but the krauts nearly spotted them. They had to lay low until they could slip away. Then the machine gun opened fire on the plane. Billy and Littlejohn were holding them when we got there. Between us we were able to get the gun but they got Littlejohn." Caje reported the facts as he helped the big man to sit on a fallen tree.

"I'm alright Serge." The big man grunted between clenched teeth.

"Told you he was going to get too big for the krauts to miss." Kirby grunted, watching the scene.

"Doc, take a look at him. Make it fast; we have to get out of here." Saunders frowned at Kirby before ordering Doc to look at Littlejohn. Turning to Caje, he asked, "Did they get a radio message out?"

"No,' the Cajun shook his head, "the radio was on but it hadn't warmed up and there was nothing but static on it. I don't think they had time to get a message out between shooting at the plane and fighting with Billy and Littlejohn."

"Okay, that's good." Looking around at his men, he looked for any other injuries. "Anybody else hurt?" When everyone reported that they were fine, Saunders turned to Doc. "How is he?"

Doc glanced up from his task and gave the sergeant a small smile. "Not too bad. The bullet went clear through his shoulder. I have the bleeding stopped and I'm giving him a small dose of morphine to take the edge off. He'll be ready to go in a minute."

"Told you I was fine." Littlejohn repeated.

"You're not fine Littlejohn, but you'll do." His sergeant admitted with relief. "As soon as Doc is done we need to move."

Littlejohn nodded. Five minutes later they were double-timing it out of the area with Doc staying close to his patient.


	13. Chapter 13

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 13

"We'll stop here for breather; eat if you have it and try to grab some rest."

I could use some extra food." Littlejohn told anyone who was listening. "I ate most of mine already."

"I told you to bring enough for the duration of the mission." Saunders growled at the big man.

"I did Serge, but we were supposed to be riding. Walking made me hungry and I ate more than I expected." The private was leaning against a tree, holding his shoulder; his face was pale from pain and fatigue.

A packet of rations landed at his feet, followed by a second one. He glanced down in surprise as Kirby tossed the meals to him.

"I don't like that kind anyway." The BAR man shrugged, "No sense letting them go to waste, besides, it lightens my pack."

Littlejohn smiled and thanked him, happily tearing at the wrappers with his teeth.

Saunders watched the exchange with a straight face, inwardly amused by the cranky excuse Kirby used to excuse his generosity.

After traveling for nearly five hours, the men ate quickly and took advantage of the chance to rest. With the day well underway, they knew they were being hunted, if not for the attack on the chateau, then for the attack on the machine gun. They hoped by changing directions several times they had lost any pursuit.

"Where are Moffitt and Pettigrew going to meet us?" Saunders asked as he watched Doc check the bandage on Littlejohn's shoulder.

"They're heading for where the girl's father dropped us off. We're making good time, we may have to wait for them there." Troy glanced at the men sleeping around them. "They did good back there; if the krauts had gotten a message out we'd have had company by now."

"Yeah, they're good men, I could do a whole lot worse….only don't tell them that." Saunders warned Troy.

"Not me." Troy replied throwing his hand up. "That's your department, they're your men." The two sergeants sat watching the trees around them and occasionally checking on the men sleeping nearby. "Caje is good at moving quietly, he doesn't miss much."

"You aren't thinking of trying to steal him, are you?" Saunders rubbed his face tiredly.

"Just saying."

"Yeah, he's my best point man." Saunders checked to make sure that Caje hadn't heard him.

"What's the deal with Kirby?" Troy eyed the man in question curiously.

"Kirby's got a big mouth." Saunders answered automatically. Then in a softer tone he continued, "I think he's lost too many friends so far. He tries hard not to let anyone close. He can be a pain sometimes, then he does something like give his meals to Littlejohn. He's mostly bluster, but he's a good soldier."

"And Billy?"

"Billy still has a lot of growing up to do. Littlejohn sort of keeps an eye on him. Did you know that I once caught Billy cleaning his rifle with soap and water?"

Troy stared at Saunders, waiting for the rest of the joke, sure it was one.

"No," Saunders insisted, reading Troy's expression correctly, "I'm serious. When I asked him what he was doing, he said he wanted to make sure it was clean for inspection."

Troy chuckled. "Braddock?"

"Braddock, what can I say about Braddock? He's a steady soldier, does his job, doesn't ask too many questions. He's not much of a deep thinker, if you know what I mean."

"Doc?"

"Doc is steady. He does his job; takes it too seriously sometimes. You have to watch him or he'll go running out to help someone without thinking of his own safety. He takes it hard if he loses someone; sort of views it as his own personal failure. Sometimes I worry that he's going to burn himself out."

"A good squad, my guys like them." Troy admitted to the other sergeant.

"They like your guys too. Kirby especially; I think he's sort off taken a liking to Hitchcock most of all. Caje was right; he doesn't usually joke around with anybody else."

"Yeah," Troy responded, suddenly subdued, "the kid has that effect on people. He either rubs you the wrong way or you can't resist that charm that he uses so well." Troy's eyes got a faraway look that made it clear that his mind was miles away. Saunders watched him in silence, praying that they were all worrying for nothing.

"Let's saddle up! Time to move out!" Saunders woke his men and pushed them to get to their feet. He watched as Littlejohn climbed stiffly to his feet without help. Satisfied, he led the way with Braddock taking point for a while. Billy and Doc hung close to Littlejohn in case he needed help. Troy and Caje brought up the rear, keeping close tabs on their back trail.

A signal from Braddock brought them all to a halt. "This is where the old man dropped us off Serge." The point man called softly to Saunders when he crawled up to where he waited.

"Okay, keep your eyes open; we'll rest here and wait for Troy's men."

"Got it Serge." Braddock nodded, settling into a depression in the ground, he prepared to stay on watch.

The squad scattered and found cover where they could relax and wait. After an hour Saunders sent Billy to replace Braddock, then Kirby, then Caje. Saunders was checking his watch every few minutes by the time Caje alerted them to someone coming.

Troy jumped to his feet as Tully and Moffitt appeared next to Caje. Tully was favoring his side while Moffitt had one arm in a sling. Doc rushed forward to help the two injured men limp into camp. Opening his medical kit, he assessed the injuries before choosing the more serious injury to care for first.

"What happened?" Troy watched Doc take care of his men.

"We ran into a patrol after we left the chateau." Moffitt explained between grunts of pain. "Tully took out the point man with his knife. He got slammed pretty hard in the ribs; I think he may have one broken. I got him out of there but we were seen. I caught a bullet before we managed to shake them. Tully really is quite the woodsman you know. I may have taught him how to survive in the desert but he can teach me just as much about how to survive in the forest." He looked at this driver with pride.

"Did they miss the Colonel?"

"No, at least not before the explosions. We really need to congratulate Hitch on a job well done, the charges worked perfectly." Moffitt stopped as he realized that he had repeated Tully's earlier mistake.

"Why don't we go get him and tell him?" Saunders suggested in the quiet that had fallen on the celebration.

"Sounds like a good idea to me." Tully grinned happily before Troy could reply.

"Let's shake it." Troy grinned, ready to go.

"Saddle up." Saunders called to his squad. Doc packed his kit, looked from one of his patients to the next and decided to just bounce back and forth between them.


	14. Chapter 14

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 14

"Coming up on the farmhouse Serge!" The word was passed back to Saunders who was walking with his wounded. The wounded were keeping up despite their injuries.

"Any sign of that kraut patrol we saw earlier?"

"Not lately Serge."

"How are you guys doing?" The sergeant asked the injured men. When he got an affirmative reply from each of them he ordered the squad forward. He had them stay in the trees, hidden from the farmhouse. Caje made a circle around to make sure that there were no watchers keeping the house under surveillance.

"What's going on with Kirby?" Braddock stopped Caje as he passed his position.

Caje glanced over at Kirby who was watching the house intently. "Nothing."

"He's been acting weird this entire mission, something is going on." Braddock turned to look at Kirby, his own brow furrowed with concern. "Do you think he's alright?"

Caje sighed, reluctant to talk about the other man. "He likes Hitchcock, says he reminds him of someone he used to know. He won't admit it but he's been worried about him ever since we left him. He insists that his gut is warning him that something is wrong." Caje shook his head, not sure if his own feeling that something was about to go wrong was his own or just picked up from Kirby.

"We all like him, heck, we like all of them. That's no reason to go all strange on us."

Caje smiled at the bigger man, "Yeah, but it's Kirby we're talking about, remember?"

"Yeah, I forgot." Braddock answered sarcastically. "Kirby is in a category all by himself."

"Don't worry Braddock, he'll be alright, you'll see. He'll do his job, just like always." Caje moved on to talk to the sergeants, leaving Braddock staring at Kirby. The big man watched the smaller one as Kirby studied the farmhouse. Having worked with Kirby for a while now, he didn't consider him the caring type; this new side of Kirby fascinated him.

"Something's wrong." Kirby whispered to Caje as he tried to move past him.

"Nothing's wrong, I checked the area, there aren't any krauts around." Caje assured his friend. "It's meal time, they're probably inside eating while we sit out here waiting."

"No," Kirby shook his head vigorously. "There should be more movement out there. Where are the chickens? I don't hear any chickens."

Caje shook his head ruefully and kept going. He reported to Saunders to tell him that he had not found any sign of anyone else in the vicinity. The three sergeants listened to the report before Saunders made his decision.

"Alright, Caje can go in first and let them know we're here." He looked the Cajun in the eye, "Find out if the krauts have been nosing around and if there are any regular patrols around here."

"Got it Serge."

"Don't go after Hitchcock until we're sure."

"Got it Serge." Caje rose to his feet to make his way toward the farmhouse. Moffitt reached out and gripped his arm, pulling him back. As Caje turned back to ask what was wrong, he heard it; the faint sound of a German truck getting closer.

The squad ducked low and waited; the sound of the truck got closer and closer until it came into view. Driving up the narrow road leading up to the farmhouse, it stopped in the barren yard in front of the house.

Caje caught the brief flash of color as the girl ran out the back door and darted toward the chicken pen. A yell from the truck told him that one of the Germans had seen it too. Gripping his rifle tightly, he glanced toward the sergeants to see them staring toward the truck with grim expressions.

"They saw her, they'll check the chicken pen, and when they don't find her, they'll tear it apart." Saunders uttered the fateful words with dread. They all knew that if Hitchcock tried to fight he'd be dead before they could do anything to help.

Shouts in German echoed through the clearing as the German troops poured out of the truck. They scattered, searching all the buildings, including the chicken coop. The group searching the barn returned empty handed, shaking their heads. Those who searched the house returned pushing the girl's parents ahead of them.

The frightened couple clung to each other, watching the Germans warily. Either they didn't speak German, or they were not willing to admit it, because they stared at the officer with blank faces as he questioned them.

"What do they want?" Saunders whispered to the British sergeant.

"They're still looking for deserters. They think the couple may know something about them. His men did see the girl go into the chicken coop, that could be a problem." Moffitt never took his eyes from the scene playing out before them.

"Caje, spread the word, wait for my signal; nobody fires until I say so!"

Caje nodded and dropped to his stomach to crawl to the others. One by one he passed the message on. When he reached Kirby he stopped long enough for the BAR man to acknowledge the order.

"I got it Caje!"

"Serge won't let anything happen to him Kirby. He's got Sgt. Moffitt translating every word that they say. His team won't let anything happen to him."

"What if they have to let him die to protect the rest of us?"

"No." Caje remembered the looks on the faces of the three sergeants. "They aren't going to let anything happen to him. Just wait for the signal my friend."

Kirby met the eyes of his friend and nodded. "Okay, but I sure hope you're right; I've lost too many people I care about already."

Caje nodded his agreement and breathed a sigh of relief. Satisfied that Kirby would wait for the signal, he hurried to tell the rest of the squad.

By the time he got back to the sergeants the officer had grown impatient with the parents. Pulling his sidearm, he pressed it up against the husband's head and ranted angrily. The wife clung to her husband and cried openly, pleading with the officer.

Caje watched as the fingers of the sergeants' hands tightened on their triggers.

A shout from the chicken coop distracted the officer, making him lower his handgun. Ordering two men to watch the couple, he stepped toward the shouts.

"They've found him." Moffitt said softly, although even those who didn't speak German had figured that out for themselves.


	15. Chapter 15

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 15

At the sound of the truck approaching, the girl darted out the back of the house and ran for the chicken coop. She briefly regretted wearing her brightest dress for their Sunday meal. Hoping no one had seen her; she closed the outer door of the chicken coop behind her and scrambled for the hidden door under the hen's nests. Her father had done his best to make the door invisible, even going so far as to mix cement and mud to cover the top to look like the dirt floor. Lifting the heavy door, she struggled to hold it aloft as she descended the ladder into the hidden room below.

The young American lay sleeping on the pallet they had prepared for him. At her entrance, he woke with a start and a groan as his movement tore at the still healing wound. Since they didn't share a common language, she settled for warning him by placing a finger to her lips.

He nodded his understanding and looked around for his rifle. He had no way of knowing that the girl had removed that and his knife for fear that he might harm himself before his friends returned. After Caje had explained that he was willing to die to protect the others, she had feared that he might be suicidal.

Now, unarmed and trapped, they could only wait and listen, and hope that the Germans gave up before they found the trap door. As the Germans continued to tear the nests from the walls and scuff their feet across the floor, the girl watched the soldier reach up and take his dog tags from around his neck. Looking around wildly, he searched for a place to hide them.

Seeing his intent, the girl took them and buried them along the wall. Stomping on the loose ground, she kicked a piece of wood over the fresh dirt. She stepped back to his side as a triumphant shout from above was accompanied by the light coming through the door as it was lifted. A soldier dropped from above, landing heavily on his feet, gun up and ready. The face above the gun was grim and determined; he showed no softening at the sight of the wounded man in the German uniform.

The soldier called up to those above him and a second German jumped down. Between them they searched the prisoners roughly, showing no concern for the young soldiers' injuries.

The girl was forced up the ladder first, where strong hands pulled her the last few feet and held her away from the opening. Hitchcock was the prodded to climb the ladder, the German below poking him with a rifle barrel. Sweating heavily and gasping for breath, he was yanked out as soon as his shoulders cleared the floor. The two soldiers followed him up and the entire group made their way to stand in front of the officer waiting in front of the house.

Mark Hitchcock fought to stay on his feet as he was shoved across the yard. The girl tried to help but she was pulled roughly away, crying out as fingers dug cruelly into her arm. He was pushed to a spot in front of the officer and allowed to stop. The officer asked him a question, which he refused to acknowledge; knowing that to speak would give away his nationality. He settled for glaring defiantly at his captors.

The officer reached for his dog tags, pawing around inside his shirt fruitlessly. Hitch eyed him frostily, fighting to stay on his feet. When he didn't find any dog tags, the officer slapped him across the face as he repeated his question. Hitch kept his lips pinched together against the pain and the temptation to say something he might regret.

When the officer slapped the girl, he almost forgot himself and raised a protest. At the last second he remembered that he couldn't let them know that there were Americans in the area. He was determined that the only way they would know was if they saw his tattoo or one of the civilians talked. Clamping his jaw, he contented himself with glaring at the officer.

The girl's parents pleaded with the officer, begging for the sake of their daughter. Hitch wasn't fool enough to expect them to remain silent if they thought that there was a chance to save the girl. The pleading looks they were sending his way convinced him that they were about to spill his secret.

The officer noticed the looks too and turned toward the parents. They cowered before him but Hitch saw a spark of determination replace the earlier fear. When they still refused to answer his questions, he turned again to the young soldier in his grasp.

The first slap took him to his knees since no one was holding him. Pulling him up by his arms, the guards held him up while the officer slapped him over and over again. Reeling from the blows, Hitch spit blood from his split lip on the officers' highly polished boots.

Furious, the officer snapped orders to the guards holding the prisoner. They pulled him backwards, half dragging him, until his back was to the wall of the house. Stepping away, they left him leaning against the structure for support. More shouts and more orders and ten of the soldiers lined up in a row facing the prisoner.

Except for the two guarding the girl, the others made a semi-circle facing the house to watch the execution. Still furious, the officer ordered the girl placed next to Hitch.

Facing the firing squad, she cried softly, sending her parents one last loving look. The officer gave a command and the firing squad came to attention. Terrified, the girl turned toward Hitch and buried her face in his shoulder.

With one hand pressed to his side, he used his free hand to pull her close, shielding her eyes from the sight of the rifles pointed at them. Resting his cheek on her head, he tried to share his strength. She sobbed once and quieted under his tender embrace. Hitch looked toward her parents and gave them the briefest of nods. In return he received brave, tiny smiles despite the tears that rolled down their faces.


	16. Chapter 16

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 16

"What's going on?" Saunders and his men watched as Hitchcock and the girl were pulled from the chicken coop. They watched tight-lipped as the officer questioned first the parents and then Hitchcock and the girl.

"They think he's one of their deserters." Moffitt translated tensely. "They can't find his dog tags and they want to know his identity. He must not have spoken because they still think he's German."

Not having the advantage of a translator, the rest of the squad could only watch and guess at what was happening. They waited for the signal, ready to charge to the rescue.

"They're going to know we're here." Braddock predicted gloomily. "They'll kill him and then come looking for us."

"He won't talk." Kirby growled in Hitchcock's defense.

"They all talk sooner or later." Braddock reminded him.

"Serge won't let that happen." Kirby whispered, knowing what the other soldier meant by his comment.

"Serge has to think of the mission first Kirby." Braddock cringed as Kirby shot a glare his way. "I know he wouldn't want to walk away, but we may not have a choice."

"Serge won't walk away and leave him." Kirby repeated. He inched closer to the clearing where he would have a better range of fire.

Braddock left him go, shaking his head at the situation they found themselves in.

"Moffitt, now what's happening?" Saunders twisted to watch the Brit watching the Germans.

"They've decided that he is a deserter and that the girl is his lover. They are going to shoot him." Moffitt paused as the officer gave more orders. The girl was pushed up next to Hitchcock along the wall. "They said she hid him so they are going to shoot her too."

"Pass the signal to be ready." Saunders hissed at Caje.

The message was passed along the line of waiting soldiers. As they watched the firing squad form they could all hear the sobs of the frightened girl. When Hitchcock put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, every man watching tightened his finger on his trigger.

The officer ordered his men to raise their weapons. Behind them a bright flash flickered for a second and winked out. None of the Germans watching the scene unfold saw it.

Among the trees, none of the members of the squad noticed. It was there and gone so fast that it was lost among the sun beams filtering through the branches of the trees sheltering them.

The parents missed it; their eyes were on the two forlorn figures huddled together against the side of the house.

The girl missed it; she had her face buried in the shoulder of the soldier who held her.

Only Hitchcock saw it, and his impassive face gave nothing away. His body stiffened, not in anticipation of the bullets about to be fired, but waiting for the next flash. Muscles tense, he knew he would only have seconds to get himself and the girl out of the way once the bullets started flying. The signal was one that they had used before and he knew that the others would open fire with the second flash.

Bunched as they were, the Germans would be at a distinct disadvantage. Out in the open and surprised, Hitch didn't give them much of a chance; but rather than dwell on their likely fate, he concentrated on being ready to duck before he got caught in the barrage. Tightening his grip on the girl, he shifted his weight, ready to push her down and to the side.

The officer called to his men again. Hitch didn't speak the language but it was plain that the men had been told to get ready. Rifles came up to their shoulders and they stared down the barrels at the prisoners.

The flash appeared again and Hitch shoved the girl toward the ground. Two single shots rang out, close together but clearly separate, targeting the two men guarding the parents. Both guards fell dead as the rest of the squad opened fire.

The firing squad, to a man, spun to look toward the dead men. The Americans opened fire, dropping them before they could rush to cover. With the prisoners still in the open and in danger, the men in the trees didn't show any pity toward the real Germans; anyone considered a threat was killed before they could do any harm.

When the return fire stopped, Saunders ordered his men forward. The squad checked for survivors while Doc checked on Hitchcock.

"Hey Doc, I got one!" Billy called excitedly, peering down at the wounded German. He kept him covered, watching for any tricks until the medic could arrive. The German closed his eyes and went limp, causing Billy to step back, expecting a trick. The rattle that escaped the wounded German was one that Billy had heard before. "Never mind Doc, he didn't make it."

The babble of French carried across the yard as the soldiers carried out their gruesome task. The parents were hugging their daughter joyfully, crying with relief and happiness.

When all the bodies had been checked, Doc had three new patients.

"Hey Doc!" Doc turned from the wounded Germans to see what Braddock wanted. Braddock was staggering toward him supporting a wounded Kirby. Blood covered the left side of his short where a bullet had caught him in the ribs. Catching the medic's attention, Braddock lowered Kirby to the ground.

Turning from the wounded prisoner in favor of one of his own more severely wounded, Doc helped Braddock lower Kirby to the ground. Tearing his shirt out of the way, he examined the ugly wound.

"How is he Doc?" Sgt. Saunders stood over the medic blocking the sunlight; the slump of his shoulders the only telling evidence of his exhaustion.

"I think he'll be okay if we can get him to a doctor, the bullet is still in there. I can stop the bleeding and wrap him up but he'll need a real doctor." Doc frowned as the new gauze turned a bright crimson.

Saunders nodded slowly, his eyes taking in the activity around him.

"He's not going to be able to walk Serge; we'll have to carry him." Doc hurried to explain, his hands still busy caring for the wound.

"Okay Doc, I get it." Saunders sighed, letting his rifle dangle loosely from his fingers. Using one finger he pushed the German helmet up off his face. "How is Hitchcock?"

Doc looked up from tending Kirby. "I think he's okay, just weak. The slaps didn't help any…or getting shoved around. He fell on his side when he pushed the girl down; jarred it pretty hard. I think that's why he's unconscious now; he should come around pretty soon. Troy and Moffitt are with him, they'll let me know when he wakes up"

Saunders nodded again, his eyes going back to the scene before him.

Doc glanced over at the group around Hitchcock and saw their smiles. Smiles were good, he decided, as he went back to work on Kirby.

With a final pat on the arm, he ordered Kirby to say still. With Littlejohn watching his patient, he walked over to where Hitchcock still sprawled on the ground where he had fallen. Seeing that his eyes were open, Doc gave him a fake scowl. "I thought I told you to take it easy."

"That was easy Doc," The blond grinned, "Hard would have been getting shot again."

"Let's try to avoid that then." The medic suggested amid the smiles of the others. "If you don't need me, I do have other patients." He turned to leave but stopped as Hitchcock called is name.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you Doc." Doc nodded quietly. "I mean it, you saved my life."

"Well this is one heck of a way of saying thank you." Doc answered, not knowing what else to say. With a small nod he turned to go back to the wounded Germans.

"Need any help?" Moffitt offered. "Two can work faster than one and I'm certain that your sergeant is going to want to get away from here as soon as possible."

Doc nodded his gratitude and accepted the offer. The two men finished caring for the wounded Germans in short order and were waiting when Saunders gave his next orders.


	17. Chapter 17

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 17

"Load the dead Germans into the back of the truck." Saunders ordered his men, at least the ones still on their feet.

"What do you have in mind?" Sam Troy walked over to talk to Saunders.

"We'll take the bodies down the road a couple of miles and dump them. Maybe nobody will realize that they died here; it may save the family from retaliation. Once the bodies are loaded we can kick dirt over the blood and try to cover it up."

"They'll be after us when they miss the patrol." Troy added. "That might take their mind off the family."

"Yeah, but until they catch us, we'll ride." Saunders watched the men working.

"I'll help get the bodies loaded. Maybe Tully can help cover the evidence; he can't lift much with that rib anyway."

The other sergeant nodded, "I'll get them started, and I want Caje to explain what we're doing to the family. If they want to stay, that's their decision; we'll do what we can to help, but once we leave, they'll be on their own."

The family thanked them and jumped in to help cover the evidence. The dead and wounded were loaded into the truck. Kirby, Hitchcock, and Littlejohn were made as comfortable as possible next to the wounded Germans. Doc took his place next to his patients, American and German alike.

The sergeants, through Caje, thanked the girl and her family for all of their help. Waving their good-byes, they joined the others in the truck and headed for their own lines. Several miles down the road they stopped and unloaded the dead German patrol. Scattering the bodies along a hedgerow, they tried to make it look as though the battle had taken place there. With more room in the truck, they sprawled out a little further and tried to catch some sleep. Tully, at the wheel despite his sore rib, coaxed all the speed from the truck that it was able to give. Having driven almost this far on their way in, they had a pretty good idea where the checkpoints were located. It was decided to push hard until just before coming up on a checkpoint. They would deal with each of those on an individual basis. Saunders wanted to cover as much ground as possible before the Germans gave chase.

The first checkpoint they encountered, Saunders had Tully drive right up to it. Having sent four men ahead to cover their approach, they merely waited until the guards were all out in the open to announce their presence. At the first indication that they were suspicious, the four men cut them down. The radio was destroyed and the bodies were hidden to buy just a little more time. The mad dash to the next checkpoint continued.

The guards at the next checkpoint were wary from the start. Expecting them to be on the alert, Saunders sent all of his able bodied men ahead, except for Tully, who drove the truck. As he approached the checkpoint, he slowed the truck and eyed the fortifications. The guards had barricaded the road and now hid behind the barricade, waiting for the truck to try to break through.

With Saunders leading, they hit the guards from behind while their attention was on the truck stopped just down the road. This time they pulled the barrier out of the way and ignored the dead in their wake.

Billy limped back to the truck with a bullet in his leg. Braddock had a bruised shoulder because he landed on a rock when he dove for cover. Doc offered Braddock his sympathy while he gave Billy a half of a dose of morphine and a brand new white bandage.

Tully was able to pull over into some trees to avoid the trucks loaded with troops headed toward them. They had been pouring the last of the gas into the tank when they had heard the trucks approaching. Now, knowing that the hunt was on and getting closer, they proceeded more cautiously.

"Serge." Tully woke Moffitt who had dozed off in the passenger seat.

"Yes Tully?"

"I thought I caught a flash from something in the road ahead."

Moffitt strained to see ahead but he couldn't see any cause for alarm.

"Not in the road where we can see," Tully clarified. "It was a flash through the trees around the corner up ahead."

Trusting Tully's instincts, Moffitt twisted in his seat to notify Saunders and Troy. Tully stopped the truck on the edge of the road until the sergeants had a chance to decide on a course of action.

"We're close." Saunders told Troy after looking at the map. "This may be the last checkpoint between us and our lines."

Troy nodded, waiting for the other sergeant to decide on a plan of action.

Saunders looked at his men, some wounded, some not, but all exhausted from their hectic pace of the last few weeks. Pushing the helmet out of his eyes, he considered his options.

"They'll probably have extra troops up here waiting for us."

Troy agreed.

"They'll be alert for us to try to sneak around. We can't carry our wounded and stay ahead of them, they're too close."

Troy agreed again.

"Any suggestions?"

Troy smiled, "Hit them where they least expect it."

"And where is that?"

"They'll have trucks waiting to carry their troops. If they have to chase us, they'll need those trucks. I say we carry the wounded around, have them wait down the road a little way, and send a few men in to blow the trucks. Once the trucks go up, the krauts will be distracted; they'll be looking for a ground assault. Fire off a few rounds so they duck for cover and have Tully barrel through with the truck. We'll give him some cover and then hightail it after him. We load up the truck and head for home."

Saunders shook his head with a small grin. "It's crazy…. but it might work." Turning to the others, he gave them time to raise an objection. When no one spoke, he nodded. "Okay, get the wounded out and get them around the checkpoint."

"Hitch and Kirby should stay." Doc offered, looking at his patients. "Carrying them would not be a good idea. One of the krauts is in a bad way too." Saunders looked at Troy.

"Let them stay, put one man in the back to cover them in case the truck gets hit." Troy understood the medic's concern; he shared it, but he hadn't wanted it to look like he was playing favorites by leaving Hitch in the truck.

"It's your idea Troy; you stay in the back to protect them. Alright, everybody else out." Giving Troy a quick nod, Saunders followed his men and the two prisoners into the cover of the trees. Moving as fast as possible while still remaining silent, they circled the checkpoint. German voices drifted back to them as they passed the checkpoint and veered back to the road to find a good place to leave the prisoners and their guard. With one last look at Billy and Littlejohn, who had drawn guard duty, the sergeant led his remaining men back to blow the trucks.

Sgt. Moffitt had volunteered to blow the trucks while the others covered him. Collecting hand grenades from each of the men's packs; he crawled to within throwing distance of the vehicles. There were four of them parked in a neat, straight row. The number didn't bode well for the small raiding party as it suggested that they would be badly outnumbered once the attack began. Depending on surprise and flexibility, Moffitt believed in their little band. He lined the grenades in a short row so they would be easy to reach. Picking up the first of the German 'potato mashers', he tossed it toward the truck furthest from him.

The grenade fell short, but it rolled underneath the gas tank before detonating, having the desired effect. The resulting explosion singed the hair on the back of Moffitt's hand and caught some of the brush around him on fire. The second truck took a direct hit and exploded into another attention grabbing fireball.

Moffitt heard Tully gun his engine as he started his run at the checkpoint.

The third explosion was smaller as the grenade landed near the truck, not in it or under it. Bullets zipped around him as he pulled his arm back to throw the fourth 'potato masher'. The Germans were rushing toward him in a group. Changing his aim, he tossed that one among the soldiers as they dove for cover. His next grenade cut off the screams of the wounded.

Picking up the final one, he lobbed it into the rear of the fourth truck and then sprinted for the cover of the trees to rejoin the others.


	18. Chapter 18

**The Need To Know Raid**

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 18

Tully gunned the engine and shifted gears, picking up speed as quickly as possible. Seeing the barrier in the road, he aimed for the weakest point, the middle. Ducking low, he plowed through the barrier and the German troops still trying to hold their line. Shifting gears, he kept moving, keeping his head down, and steering from the memory of the one brief glimpse he had had of the road before he ducked.

Bullets hit the door of the truck as the guards regained their feet and tried to stop him. Tully could hear the rattle of Troy's German machine gun as he covered their escape from the rear of the truck. The heavy truck was too clumsy for any fancy driving so Tully didn't even try to dodge the bullets; he just kept the pedal to the floor and concentrated on putting distance between them and the checkpoint.

A sharp pain in his ribs knocked the wind out of him, forcing him to cling to the steering wheel until he could catch a breath. Another stabbing pain in his leg took his mind off of his ribs temporarily. Then they were clear of the checkpoint and roaring off to pick up the rest of the squad.

Fighting the dizziness, Tully raced for the point where the others were waiting. It dawned on him that Troy was no longer firing; he hoped that that meant that there was no pursuit. Littlejohn stepped out into the road to flag him down, waving his arms. Tully let the truck roll to a stop and waited for the big man to approach the window.

"Get in, we don't have much time."

Littlejohn nodded and called to Billy to bring the prisoners. Limping, but smiling broadly, Billy ushered the wounded Germans to the back of the truck.

Tully waited in the cab, fighting to stay awake until the others arrived. The sound of running feet was muffled by the trucks' engine but he had been listening for the sound. He felt the truck rock as the men climbed on board. The knock on the window separating the cab from the rear was his signal to get moving toward their lines. Tully shifted the gears and drove like their lives depended on it.

Shifting gears was awkward with his wounded leg, but Tully persisted, using every bit of skill he possessed to get more speed out of the lumbering vehicle. He could hear the others in the back calling to one another over the road noise. It struck him as odd that Moffitt hadn't climbed into the front with him but he ignored his misgivings in favor of concentrating on staying awake to drive.

Mile after mile he pushed the truck, not shifting any more than was necessary to avoid using his leg. It wasn't until the truck started weaving back and forth across the road that those in the back realized that there might be a problem.

Saunders called to Tully to pull over. Rather than down shifting, Tully let the truck roll to a stop. It jerked along at the lower speed, slowly losing power until it stalled. Without the forward momentum, Tully couldn't steer, and it drifted to the edge of the road.

When Braddock pulled the driver's door open, he almost missed the falling body. Unconscious and limp, Tully's full weight fell into the unsuspecting private's arms. He would have tumbled to the ground with his burden if Saunders hadn't reached over to help. Between them they managed to move Tully to the back of the truck where willing hands helped lift him over the tailgate. Rushing to his side, Doc dug out his trusty medical kit and once again put his knowledge and training to good use.

Tully regained consciousness to the rolling of a moving truck. He opened his eyes slowly, fatigue making it feel like they were glued shut. Little by little his awareness came back to him. The first face he saw was Sam Troy's.

"How are you feeling?" Troy's worried eyes studied his face as he stared back at his sergeant.

"Tired." He admitted, wishing he had some water to relieve the dryness of his throat. As if reading his mind, someone handed Troy a canteen of the precious fluid. The sergeant uncapped it and offered him a few small sips. Tully gasp in pain as he tried to sit up to drink.

"Don't try to sit up, just lift your head." Troy slid his knees under Tully's shoulders for support as he helped him drink.

Tully's eyes settled on the bloody bandage wrapped around Troy's right arm. He looked up at his sergeant with a question in his eyes. Troy looked down at the bandage and then back at Tully.

"It's not too bad, the bullet went clear through. Doc patched me up as soon as they got back to the truck. At least I wasn't bleeding for miles and miles. What were you thinking Tully?" The sergeant asked in disbelief. "That's something that Hitch would pull."

Tully shrugged and tried to talk around what felt like cotton in his mouth. "We had to get out of there fast, and I was already in the driver's seat. Then I just kept thinking that we needed to keep moving." Moving his head to the side, Tully tried to see all of the other men in the truck. "Is everybody okay?"

Troy looked around before he answered. "Saunders got a nick on his arm, nothing serious. Moffitt caught one in the arm; he says it's nothing to worry about." Troy smiled as he continued. "I have a hole in my arm and you got hit. You got the worst of it this time."

"The krauts?"

"Moffitt took out three of their trucks but he's not sure about the fourth one. So far we haven't spotted it but we're sure that they got a message out. There were a lot of troops there so if they get that truck running, they won't have any trouble filling it. They may have set up another roadblock if they have any troops between us and our lines."

Tully nodded as Troy finished the report on their situation.

"Where is Sgt. Saunders?"

"Saunders and Braddock are up front. Braddock is driving and Saunders is riding shotgun."

"Hitch?"

Troy smiled and nodded toward the sleeping blond. "He slept through the whole thing."

"Kirby?"

"He slept through most of it but he's awake now."

"Maybe I'll just sleep for a while Serge, you can wake me if you need me." Tully let his eyes slide shut, letting himself fall toward oblivion. The last thing he heard was Kirby complaining because 'all these guys ever do is sleep'. He drifted off with a ghost of a smile on his face, content to be surrounded by friends.


	19. Chapter 19

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 19

The truck was moving along at a good clip when it suddenly swerved to the side. The men in back were thrown around as Braddock fought for control. It slowed and stopped as Troy and the others tried to untangle themselves from the mass of thrashing limbs.

Saunders appeared at the tailgate, pulling the flap aside. "Sorry about that, we blew a tire. We need to change it fast, we could use some help."

Caje stood up to crawl over the tailgate. Littlejohn stood up to follow. "What do you think that you are going to do with that shoulder?" Caje asked the big private.

"Watch the road," The big guy replied, stepping over the tailgate. "I'll make sure that no one surprises us."

"I can help too." Billy started to follow the others.

"No Billy." Littlejohn held up a hand. "With that leg you can't move fast. If we have to run, you might not make it."

Looking down at the bandaged leg, Billy nodded. "Okay Littlejohn, I'll just watch from here."

The big private smiled at his friend and nodded before turning to walk back in the direction they had come. Finding a tree to shield him, Littlejohn watched the road behind them for any enemy patrols.

"Littlejohn won't let anybody sneak up on us." Billy told the wounded men still in the truck. Turning back to the tailgate, Billy kept watch too. The truck rocked as it was jacked up and the men changing the tire fought to loosen the lug nuts. Their quiet cursing was the only sound as everyone listened for the sounds of pursuit.

"Serge!" Littlejohn was running toward the truck.

Saunders stopped and when he really listened, he could hear the truck in the distance coming toward them. "Come on Littlejohn!" He waved at the big man to get into the truck. Caje tightened the last lug nut and let the jack down in one jerk. Grabbing the jack for future emergencies, he threw it onto the floor of the cab and ran for the rear.

Braddock took the wheel and Saunders once again took shotgun. The clutch popped and the truck lurched forward. With the flap held up, Troy could now see the German truck catching up to them. Motioning the wounded to get down, he prepared to fight when they closed the gap.

Braddock hit high gear and they began to gain on the more heavily loaded vehicle chasing them.

Troy fired off an occasional burst to urge the German driver to drop back. He yelled a warning every time that he saw a rifle pointed their way, letting the wounded know that they had to hug the floor. Troy was counting on the heavy tailgate to provide cover for those on the floor.

The next five miles were a running gun battle with neither side doing any real damage. Troy did manage to wound the passenger in the truck behind them, making him drop his rifle out the window. That curtailed any shooting in their direction until someone handed him another one. It did serve to make him duck quicker and stay down longer when Troy opened fire.

Things had been quiet for the last several minutes as Braddock opened the distance between the two vehicles. For some reason, the pursuing truck was slowing down, being more cautious. Suspicious, Troy called a warning to Saunders in the cab. Saunders was twisted in the seat, trying to hear Troy when Braddock suddenly braked, throwing him into the dash. He pulled himself back into the seat as a rifle barrel came through the widow and poked him in the ear. Freezing, he looked past Braddock to see another rifle pointing at his driver.

An order was shouted in German as figures separated themselves from the trees and approached the truck. They darted back under cover as the second truck appeared, traveling too fast to stop before it came within range of the hidden soldiers. A hand grenade exploded behind it as it tried to back up and retreat. The soldiers ran out of the trees again, surrounding both trucks. The Germans in the rear truck threw their hands in the air and surrendered. They were soon lined up along the road, searched, and disarmed.

The soldier holding the rifle on Saunders ordered him out of the truck in German.

"Sorry, I don't speak German."

The soldier, an American corporal, paused in shock, looking to his lieutenant for instructions.

"Out of that truck soldier." The lieutenant ordered, after recovering from his own shock.

Saunders raised his hands and climbed out of the truck after the corporal opened the door. Braddock did the same on the other side of the truck.

"Who are you?" The lieutenant asked suspiciously.

"Saunders, Chip. Sergeant. US Army. We're with the 361st Regiment, King Company, 2nd platoon.

The lieutenant studied Saunders carefully.

"What are you doing in German uniforms?"

"We were on a special assignment. Our cover was as German soldiers. We were planning to change before we got this far but we lost our own uniforms when our truck broke down. We had to leave them; we couldn't risk getting caught with them in our possession."

"What's in the back?"

"More of my men. Most of them are wounded. We also have three wounded German prisoners."

"Show me."

With a gun at his back, Saunders walked to the rear of the truck. "It's alright, they're American." Saunders pulled the canvas flap to one side. The faces looking out at him were a mix of surprise and delight. No one made a move as they noted the weapons pointed their way.

"Tell them to get out."

"Like I told you Lieutenant, some of them are wounded. A couple of them shouldn't be moved unless it's unavoidable."

"Tell the rest of them to get out." The lieutenant repeated, making allowances for the wounded.

Saunders nodded and the walking wounded climbed out of the truck, leaving their weapons behind. When all those who could move were out, two soldiers climbed in to check on the rest. Only Kirby, Hitchcock, Pettigrew, and the wounded German remained.

"Three of them are unconscious Sir. Looks like they could use a doctor." One of the men reported.

"Do you have any proof of what you claim?" The lieutenant asked Saunders.

"Only our dog tags and us Lieutenant." The sergeant admitted.

"Not much to go on."

"No Sir, but it's all we've got."

"Saunders."

Saunders looked at Troy expectantly. "Do you have something else I don't know about Troy?"

"Maybe." The other sergeant smiled. He nodded toward the soldier still in the truck. "Do you have a knife?"

"Yes." The soldier responded with a confused frown.

"The blond with the wound in his side." Troy nodded toward Hitchcock.

The soldier looked down at the unconscious man with another frown.

"Cut his right sleeve open all the way to the shoulder."

The soldier looked to his lieutenant for permission.

"Do it."

Pulling a knife, he knelt next to the blond and carefully slit the sleeve of both the jacket and the shirt. He leaned closer to peer at the exposed area before understanding dawned on his face.

"What is it Parsons?"

"A tattoo Sir." Parsons leaned closer to read it. "An American flag and the words Fort Benning Georgia 1942."

"Recent?"

"No Sir, it looks like it's been there a while."

The lieutenant turned to study the two sergeants standing before him in very authentic looking German uniforms. "Alright Sergeant, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. I'll take you to headquarters but we'll confiscate all of your weapons. I suppose that the other truck belongs to you too?"

"No Sir." Saunders shook his head with a smile. "No, those are the real thing. They've been trying to kill us for the last ten miles after we broke up their last checkpoint and crashed through. Three of these guys belong to them. If it's alright with you, we can put them all in that truck. My men can't guard them very well if you keep all of our weapons."

The lieutenant ordered the prisoners loaded on the second truck with the actual Germans. He assigned guards and his men brought their own trucks around to load up.

"Back in the truck Sergeant, we'll take you to headquarters and let them sort this out." The lieutenant motioned them toward the rear of their truck.

"We were told to ask for a Major Parantini when we returned." Saunders mentioned as he reached for a hand hold on the side of the truck.

"Parantini? Why didn't you tell me this right away?" The officer demanded.

Saunders paused halfway into the truck and looked over his shoulder. "I'm kind of tired Lieutenant, I guess it slipped my mind until just this minute."

The lieutenant muttered something under his breath about non-coms as he waved at his men to load up. "Let's move out, the Major is waiting."


	20. Chapter 20

**The Need To Know Raid**

By: AliasCWN

Chapter 20

"So what happened after you left me?" Mark Hitchcock sat on the edge of his cot and questioned Kirby.

With a patience that surprised his squad mates, he told the blond everything that had occurred after the girl's father had dropped them off.

"So that officer in the truck who didn't talk was the pilot who picked up the Colonel?"

"Yeah, kind of took me by surprise, only I guess it shouldn't have." Kirby frowned at the memory of recognizing the pilot. "With all the other weird stuff that happened on this mission, I should have figured that he'd show up somewhere along the line."

"This one was different alright. We usually know what we're going to be doing by the time we leave for the mission. Even on the 'need to know ones'. Serge usually lets us in on it." Hitchcock looked around quickly to see who may have overheard that comment. The only beds occupied in this section of the hospital were filled with their own men.

Tully was propped up in bed on one side of Hitch while Kirby was on the other side. Billy was still under observation for his leg wound so he was on the other side of Kirby. Littlejohn and Doc were currently visiting the others since they were all on temporary leave until they had recovered and rested enough to return to duty.

The three sergeants walked up the aisle as the conversation turned to other subjects. Tully was the first to see them and called a greeting.

"Where are Caje and Braddock?" Saunders asked as soon as he noticed that the two were missing.

"They said they had a stop to make but they would be along shortly." Doc assured them with a smile.

"Well, headquarters says to tell you that you all did a great job" Saunders passed the praise on to his men. "Doc, I have to say that you did a good job keeping us all alive." The sergeant looked around at all the injuries and was still amazed that they hadn't lost a single man. "We were lucky."

"You know what Serge says about luck." Pettigrew reminded him.

"Yeah, I know, you make your own luck." Saunders frowned at the private.

"A wise man once said that that is the only kind you can trust." Moffitt smiled, amusement making his eyes sparkle.

"Yeah, I heard that somewhere too." Saunders admitted.

"Hey here come Caje and Braddock." Billy called, interrupting the conversation on luck. "What do they have?"

The two men in question were carrying large boxes, hugging them as if they were heavy.

"Is everyone okay Doc?" Caje asked with a bright grin.

"Everyone's fine. I already checked with the doctors." The medic met Caje's eyes and winked.

"What's going on Caje?" Kirby asked with suspicion heavy in his tone.

In answer, Caje and Braddock placed their boxes on an empty cot and opened the flaps. Bottles banged together as they reached inside. With a grin and a flourish, Caje pulled two beers from the box and handed them to Sergeants Saunders and Troy. Braddock started handing out bottles to the others as Caje reached for more.

"We promised that the next time we would bring the beer."

Saunders glanced at the bottle in his hand and looked at Caje. "Just where did you guys steal this stuff?"

"Serge!" Caje acted hurt by the accusation. "We didn't steal it. We just mentioned to Major Parantini that we had been wounded and how exhausted we were, and how a few beers would sure hit the spot. The next thing we knew two corporals were delivering these boxes. The doctors have okayed it for everyone to have a drink…so….a toast; a toast to another successful mission and an end to this stinking war."

"Here, here."


End file.
